Campus politics: Two security guards beaten to pulp by students

Campus security off-duty till legal action is taken against APMSO.

KARACHI: On Thursday, student activists at the University of Karachi, gave a security guard the beating of a lifetime and managed to get off scot-free.

At 11 am, Nasir Abbas and Mohsin from the All Pakistan Muttahida Student Organisation (APMSO) approached security guard Ijaz Abbasi while he was on duty behind the statistics department.  “They asked me if I was on duty at the Maskan gate,” said Abbasi while talking to The Express Tribune. “After I said ‘no’, they said they were affiliated with a political party.” He added that after he heard their reply, he made the mistake of telling them that he knew people from that party too.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Abbas and Mohsin started to hit Abbasi. He said that while he was trying to defend himself, the two students had called 20 other APMSO activists. He added that some tried to save him while others attacked him with stones and chairs.

The Rangers detained Abbas and Mohsin but had to let them go when 100 APMSO activists and Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) campus communication officers gathered outside the administration block.

The activists were released on orders from acting vice chancellor Dr Nasiruddin Khan. Senior security officer Iftikar Ali was asked to bring Abbas and Mohsin to the administration block. “Alam told me to come to his office,” said Abbasi. “A dozen MQM’s workers and activists were there to persuade and negotiate.” He added that he asked for legal action to be taken against the activists.

Later in the day, when the security guards went on strike, student activists smashed the campus security office and attacked a security guard identified as Eid Akbar near the pharmacy department. Abbasi went to the New Town SSP’s office and said that he hoped the SSP would ask the Mobina Town SHO to register the FIR.

Abbasi believes that these students might be holding a grudge against a security guard who did not let them set foot on campus after the BCom examination incident in which activists ripped up answer sheets. Despite the Rangers and security guards being present on campus, incidents such as these are becoming quite common.

The campus security guards went on strike on Friday and held a protest at the Silver Jubilee Gate. They said that they will boycott work till legal action was taken against the activists.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2012.