Violent activism: Clashes between student groups leave 9 injured

The rioters used hockey sticks and clubs and threw stones at each other.


Tariq Ismaeel April 16, 2014
The rioters used hockey sticks and clubs and threw stones at each other. PHOTO: FILE

MULTAN:


At least nine people were injured in clashes between two groups of students at the new campus of Bahauddin Zakariya University on Tuesday.


The rioters used hockey sticks and clubs and threw stones at each other. A large police contingent surrounded the campus and later launched a search operation.

Those injured were identified as Aamir, Taha, Faheem, Ali Raza, Rana Kamran and Mazhar Langrial, of People’s Students Federation (PSF) and Asad Gondal of Muslim Students Federation (MSF).

One of the injured, Ali Raza, was shot in the leg.

The police had not registered a case till the filing of this report.

Police put this down to there having been no formal request from the varsity administration.

Dr Amanullah, a spokesman of BZU, said the case had been sent to the disciplinary committee and further action would be taken on its recommendation.

A computer science student, who saw the clash, told newsmen that the activists of both organisations had exchanged hot words at the canteen before the violence. He said some PSF members beat MSF workers.

Later, activists of MSF, flanked with supporters, caught up with PSF workers near Administration Block.

A spokesman for the PSF claimed that the MSF hooligans were backed by the BZU administration.

“We have taken a stand on issues like high tuition fees,” he said. “They [the MSF] are being backed by the varsity to oust us and occupy the campus,”

He claimed that the MSF workers involved in the incident were outsiders.

On the other hand, an MSF leader accused the PSF of holding the campus hostage.

“Outsiders [of the PSF] have occupied hostels at gunpoint and they are involved in serious crimes and harassing students,” MSF leader Rao Ajmal alleged.

Gulgasht Colony SP Muhammad Tahir spoke to Vice Chancellor Sayed Khwaja Alqama at his office about the situation.

Police sources said an operation at the hostel was expected overnight.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16th, 2014.

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