The students wanted to take out a protest rally from Mansoora Degree College and the Government Science College, Wahdat Road, to be concluded at the Punjab University New Campus to register their resentment against the rustication of some PU students, launch of music classes in the university, the vice-chancellor’s alleged corruption and the ban on student unions.
In order to stop the rally, the police had placed barbed wires and containers at different places on its route. During the clashes, the IJT claimed that the police baton-charged students and arrested its 20 activists, including its Lahore Nazim Hafiz Muhammad Hassaan.
The PU administration, rejecting IJT claim that hundreds of students participated in the protest rally on the varsity campus, said only a handful of students staged a protest demonstration at the Institute of Education and Research as the city police did not allow anyone to enter the campus
IJT Nazim-i-Aala Nasrullah Khan Goraya and its PU Nazim Salman Ayub termed the government action state terrorism, alleging police torture and arrests of students. They announced the IJT would observe three-day protest against the action against students on Wednesday (today).
Reports said a hip-hop battle was witnessed between IJT activists and police. Enraged students burnt a route 11 Daewoo bus from inside near Kali Kothi stop in Iqbal Town, while tried to set another bus on fire on Canal Road near Doctors’ Hospital which blocked traffic on the road causing trouble for commuters. They also tried to damage vehicles on the premises of the university hostels in Garden Town area, besides pelting stones on the police.
However, Garden Town police claimed that the students were dispersed in the evening and there was no protest till the filing of the report.
PU registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan said the varsity had called the police to stop the IJT activists from disrupting the academic peace on the campus. He said the varsity officials had identified the PU students involved in the Road Caravan and their cases would be referred to the disciplinary committee for investigation.