FAISALABAD: The National Textile University (NTU) administration has provisionally allowed the expelled students to take their final examinations scheduled to be held on Monday (tomorrow), however, during the exams they will have to attend proceedings against their rustication.

The students have termed it a mental torture and claimed that they had done nothing wrong and the university administration must decide the issue keeping in view the facts.

Talking to Dawn requesting anonymity, fellows of the rusticated students said although the ‘penalised’ students had been allowed to appear in exams, the university had also directed them to appear before the appellant committee looking into their rustication case.

“Calling students during final exams is tantamount to inflicting mental torture on them. The administration intends to suppress the voice of other students so that they can’t speak of their rights. However, students will not stop raising voice against the illogical policies of the university,” a fellow of the expelled students said.

The penalised students coupled with dozens of others had boycotted classes against ‘heavy fines’ and issues of hostels. During the protest, they claimed that not a single student had damaged the university property. But the administration rusticated 12 students on charges of disrupting the conducive environment of the institution.

They were told to attend proceeding

The students said the university administration instead of resolving the issue by taking the students on board, expelled their fellows including Muhammad Shaheryar Daha, Muhammad Shazal Saleem, Ali Khursheed, Muhammad Toqeer Butt, Muhammad Tauseef and Muhammad Luqman Ashraf for one year and six others namely Muhammad Aftab Khan, Sumair All, Muhammad Noman, Muhammad Salman Ali, Saad Ali and Usman Ayub for six months.

Now the university allowed students to appear in the exams restricting them not to enter the hostels or other premises of the institution till final decision of the appellant committee, they said.

Owing to classes boycott by the students of different sections, final exams scheduled for March 27 and April 1 delayed and the university administration rescheduled the examination for April 6.

On Monday last, a large number of students had staged a sit-in outside the university and also blocked traffic on Sheikhupura Road for almost two days against the expulsion of their fellows.

Later, students had to call off their protest with the intervention of the district government officials who assured them that justice would be ensured and innocent students would not be penalised.

“We have ended sit-in outside the main gate of the university following assurance of the district government,” a student said.

“In the presence of the district government officials the university administration had assured that appellant committee would decide the case of expelled students within three days which was extended to 10 days and now the administration withdrew the deadline,” another student said.

On Saturday, a delegation of students met DCO Noorul Ameen and apprised him of the entire situation.

University Rector Dr Mumtaz Malik said the appellant committee would decide the case of rusticated students on merit and it had also been conveyed to the district government categorically.

He said the university administration would not give any relaxation on attendance issue.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2015

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