LAHORE, May 18: Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) activists clashed with police on The Mall on Friday that witnessed aerial firing, tear-gas shelling, baton charge and pelting of stones leaving several policemen and students injured.

Police arrested 54 protesters, including the Lahore IJT nazim, on The Mall in Punjab University hostels in late night raids.

Also, the torching of two public transport buses on Morr Samanabad and in the Green Town area is also being linked to the tensions between the government and the IJT. Police registered cases against unidentified IJT activists for burning the buses. The IJT rejected the allegation.

The IJT had announced a protest rally to register their resentment against police failure to arrest the killers of IJT leader Awais Aqeel, who was slain at the university hostel No 16 on last Sunday.

In order to check the rally from Nasser Bagh to Lahore High Court, a heavy contingent of police was deputed in front of Punjab University Old Campus, Lahore High Court, Islamia College of Civil Lines, PU New Campus and Government Science College, Wahdat Road, to contain the protesters in IJT-stronghold institutions. Police had closed The Mall from Nasser Bagh to the LHC in the morning.

Still, IJT activists managed to arrive at Nasser Bagh. They confronted police at Istanbul Chowk and chanted slogans against the Punjab government, police and the PU administration.

As the activists tried to break hurdles on The Mall, police resorted to aerial firing, teargas shelling and baton charge to disperse them. In clashes, three police officers, several constables and IJT activists were injured. Within minutes, police arrested 54 students while many activists ran away. An IJT spokesman said that over 50 Jamiat activists were arrested.

An injured IJT activist told Dawn near Civil Secretariat, “We could not keep fighting with the police, because they had come fully equipped.”

Another activist said many protesters were severally injured and bundled into police vans.

Speaking to reporters, IJT Nazim-i-Aala Zubair Safdar said any delay in arresting the killer of Aqeel would not be tolerated and the government would be responsible for any untoward incident. He said it was a matter of grave concern that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had not taken any notice of the student’s murder. He also alleged that the PU Academic Staff Association was being used to launch baseless propaganda against the Jamiat. He said the association’s call for boycotting classes showed that teachers were involved in disrupting academic peace on university campuses.

It is also learnt that IJT activists staged protest rallies in various cities in the province.

Police also conducted a massive search operation in eight hostels on PU New Campus on Thursday night and arrested 26 IJT activists, including IJT PU Nazim Rai Haq Nawaz. Police say they seized a pistol and a liquor bottle from IJT activist Younas.

The New Muslim Town police have registered four cases – two FIRs against Younas for carrying the pistol and liquor bottle and cases against 25 IJT activists for creating the law and order situation, misbehaving with university teachers, and damaging public property at the PU vice-chancellor office.

Reacting to the development, a PU spokesman said in a statement that the recovery of liquor and weapon had unveiled the character of rogue elements. The statement said the recent incidents supported varsity administration’s stance that student wings of political parities should not be allowed in universities. “Only one student organization and its ex-members are behind all the incidents of lawlessness on PU campus,” the spokesman added.