Unrest prevails at PU hostels

By Khalid Khattak

The presence of expelled and rusticated activists of Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) at the Punjab University (PU) hostels has been a matter of great concern for the university students and teachers. Most of the activists were expelled or rusticated for beating students up, while others for organizing illegal activities on the campus and inside the hostels without permission from the PU administration. However, such elements continue to enjoy boarding facilities, in connivance with the hostel superintendents and wardens, creating troubles, especially for the boarding students belonging to other student organisations. The activists are not only a permanent nuisance for the boarding students, but also for the university administration which receives frequent complaints regarding their illegal activities. Last week, some JIT activists including Suleman, Allah Rakha and Muhammad Ramzan thrashed a student Ghulam Hussain who is an activist of a newly formed student organisation, the University Students Federation (USF), at Hostel No 2. The matter was brought to the notice of the administration but no action has been taken so far. The USF has been criticizing the administration for not taking any action against the Jamiat activists illegally residing at the varsity hostels.Ahsan Chaudhry, a USF activist, told The News that IJT activist Sabir Shah, who is an illegal boarder at the varsity’s Hostel No 15, threatened to hurt him. He said a number of other Jamiat activists, like Sabir, expelled or rusticated by the administration were illegally residing at the hostels, “It is strange that the administration is not taking any action”, he added.It is important to mention here that a number of rallies were taken out by students against the Jamiat for its involvement in Imran Khan’s arrest from the PU New Campus in November last year. Later, a number of students complained about threatening calls and messages they received from the IJT activists for taking part in the anti-Jamiat rallies. A number of developments took place afterwards in which the PU administration, under the leadership of the varsity’s vice-chancellor, closed down almost all the IJT offices from the university’s campus. However, no action was taken against the Jamiat at the hostels where it has had its offices for the last many. Talking to The News, a PU official, seeking anonymity, said many FIRs had been registered against some of the expelled Jamiat activists, but police failed to arrest them. He said the non-cooperation of police was causing a lot of problems for the administration, adding, “Even some teachers are receiving threatening calls from the Jamiat activists”. It is noteworthy that the non-cooperation of the police was also highlighted in a high level meeting chaired by the then Chancellor Lt Gen (r) Khalid Maqbool a couple of months ago. Another senior official said a grand operation would be launched soon against the Jamiat activists bordering illegally at the hostels. He said the only hurdle in carrying out the action was the on going examinations. “We do not want any disturbance at the campus when the exams are underway”, he said, adding “the Jamiat offices at the PU hostels would also be closed down.”

Source: The News International
Monday 7 July 2008