‘Troublemaking’ pupils allowed to sit exam after QAU clashes

IHC suspends varsity’s notification expelling, rusticating students

ISLAMABAD: Some students of the Quaid-i-Azam University, who were allegedly involved in a violent clash on campus last month, were allowed by the Islamabad High Court to sit in their exams from June 9 (today).

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC, while allowing a request from two student groups to sit in their exams, suspended a notification which had been issued by the university on June 1.

The court also allowed the students to pay fine imposed by the university in instalments.



Secretariat police had booked 15 Sindhi and 11 Baloch students who were allegedly involved in the clashes in the university on May 20 which left at least 30 people injured while it forced the university to suspend academic activities for three days.

The university administration had accused the Mehran Council Chairman Fahad Ahmad of resorting to hate speech and instigating students during a general body meeting of Sindhi students.

Subsequently, the Sindhi students allegedly attacked and besieged Baloch students at the hostel No. 8 of the varsity.  Further, the chairmen of both the Mehran and Baloch Council were accused of using hate speech and inciting members of their respective groups to react violently against each other. They were also accused of bringing people in from outside the campus to participate in the clash.

As a result of the clash, as many as 30 people were injured, and the university administration had to vacate boys’ hostels and suspended academic activities.

The resident officer of the university had said that Sindhi and Baloch student had argued over a petty issue during a trip to Abbottabad a month ago and had later involved their respective councils in the matter. Both the groups had quarrelled after returning from the trip.

A disciplinary committee of the university had subsequently taken strict action against the students who are studying in different courses, expelling two of them, rusticating eight while others were suspended with fines imposed.  However, 10 of the students filed petitions before the IHC, requesting the court to allow them to sit their semester examinations. They made vice chancellor, chairman syndicate committee and deputy registrar of the university respondents.



During the hearing on Thursday, the counsel for the students argued that the university was legally duty bound to allow the students to appear in their exams.

He added that if the students are not allowed to appear in their exams, they would suffer an ‘irreparable loss’. The petitioners prayed the court to allow them to sit for the exam and “to save the future”.

However, the lawyer representing the university opposed the petitioners, arguing that since the students in question had committed “gross acts of indiscipline” within the premises of the university, they did not deserve any leniency.

Proceedings were against the petitioners were strictly carried out in accordance with the QAU Hostel Regulations 1996, the petitioners have issued show cause notices and were also afforded an opportunity of personal hearing,” the lawyer added.

“The decision of the university disciplinary committee imposing punishments on the petitioners was unanimous,” he said, adding that the university could not afford for the violent incidents to repeat.

The court, however, suspended the university’s notification allowed the students to sit in the exams. Further, the court directed the university to file a report and para-wise comments within a week.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2017.