MULTAN: A student suffered bullet injuries when two groups clashed here on Monday at the Bahauddin Zakariya University.

According to university sources, the clash erupted over the exchange of harsh wording between Pashtun Students Council and People’s Students Federation (PSF) activists.

According to an application to Bahauddin Zakariya Police by BZU security supervisor Muhammad Shamshad Ali Hassan, he was alerted at 1:30pm about the exchange of harsh words between the students of both groups at a café.

He said when he visited the spot along other security staff, he was informed that five PSF activists -- Sohaib Chandia, Rai Babar Ali, Ayaz Haidar Shah, Khwaja Nauman and Waqas Gujjar -- had left for the Gilani Law College in a car while Ameerullah, Nadim Khan, Wakeel Khan, Zahid Khan, Irfan Khan, Mustafa Khan and Sultan Khan of the Pashutn Students Council were chasing them on motorcycles.

He said soon Pashtun Students Council activists arrived at the law college where PSF activist Ayaz Haidar Shah opened fire at them with a pistol and one bullet hit Zahid Khan who suffered leg injuries. He stated Shah fled the scene along his other fellow activists.

Soon, 30 to 40 Pashtun council students also arrived at the firing scene where they smashed the car and entered the college by breaking the window and iron grills.

He stated the Pashtun students harassed and thrashed both male and female students of the college. They locked the university gates besides issuing threats to university and security officials.

He recommended legal action against the activists of both organisations for disturbing the peaceful environment of the university.

A police contingent arrived at the spot to control the situation.

BZU Resident Officer Dr Rehan Sadiq Shaikh said the situation was now under control while Chanida had been arrested by the police.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2020