Heated words, aggressive stares and a brawl - KU student groups await verdict after clash

Tensions remained high on the University of Karachi's (KU) campus on Thursday with the threat of an FIR against certain students looming after a violent clash between two student groups the day before left one person injured.

Sources at Mubina Town Police Station told The Express Tribune that the supplementary medical report of Faheem, who sustained injuries to his head and leg, was awaited before a case could be registered. Relevant offences of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) will be applied based on the nature of his injuries, the police said.

On Wednesday afternoon, two rival student organisations entered a heated altercation, which escalated after "aggressive" stares by opposing sides near the university's Arts Lobby. Eyewitnesses said around two dozen members of one group attacked students from the other group with sticks and batons. The former also torched tyres and damaged motorcycles parked near the site.

Faheem, who belongs to Islami Jamiat Talaba, reportedly fled to the Arts Lobby to escape further injuries. He was then rescued by KU staffers, who escorted him to Vice Chancellor Dr Khalid Iraqi's secretariat. The VC accompanied Faheem to the campus clinic for first aid.

A conflict had been brewing between Islami Jamiat Talaba and Sindhi Shagird Sath before the fight broke out on Wednesday. KU Campus Security Advisor Salman Zubair confirmed that the two groups had already been in a minor altercation the day before and the matter had been resolved through dialogue mediated by campus rangers. Both parties had pledged to avoid future confrontations, but despite that agreement, tensions boiled over again the next day, said Zubair.

The police also maintained that no student group had formally approached the station to file a complaint then (Tuesday).

It wasn't us, it was them

According to the Islami Jamiat Talaba Spokesperson Asadullah, however, it was apparent even before the violent fued broke out that matters had surpassed campus authorities. His group had already approached the Sindh Police and Sindh Rangers warning them about a possible clash via a written complaint.

A day before the confrontation, said Asadullah, the paramilitary force and police had summoned both the groups and issued a warning.

Yet, on Wednesday, students belonging to Sindhi Shagird Sath attacked Islami Jamiat Talaba members near the Arts Lobby "from three directions", he added. Abdullah further complained that "outsiders" were also involved in the assualt. Some of them were Sindhis, who live near the campus, he said.

'Stepchildren'

Advocate Shahid Hussain, who handles at Sindhi Shagird Sath's legal affairs, said that members of his group were also attacked. "Three of our companions were injured by activists of Islami Jamiat Talaba, who attacked them while they were sitting at the admission camp."

Read: Karachi University students torch tyres, demand arrests after campus violence

“For the VC, we are like stepchildren. In this incident, our workers were also injured, but the VC showed sympathy only toward Jamiat’s students,” lamented Hussain.

He added that this was not the first time activists of Islami Jamiat Talaba had attacked them. His group had already filed two prior cases against the group. “We guide new students without any discrimination of race or ethnicity, especially those from interior Sindh who are unfamiliar with the university’s system.”

Hussain said that his parted wanted this issue resolved through dialogue.

Low tolerance

Meanwhile, speaking to The Express Tribune, VC Dr Iraqi denounced the lack of tolerance among students for different groups. Clashes between different student groups continue to occur at KU, he said.

"Students have lost tolerance; they do not accept each other. Even over very minor issues, sometimes even prolonged eye contact causes fights to break out."

Conflicts between student groups intensify during admissions. ”During admissions, every student organization demonstrates its strength in an attempt to influence the admission process and recruit new students to join them,” said the VC, noting that the admission process at KU is currently underway.

Dr Iraqi, who has been the varsity's VC for the past four years and served as the acting VC for two years prior to that from 2019 to 2021, denied the allegation that he favours any one group over the other.

“For me, all students are equal. Helping an injured student reach the hospital does not mean taking sides. Yes, I helped the injured Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba activist reach the hospital. If the injured student had belonged to another organization instead, I would have tried to save his life as well.”