At least 12 injured during PSA-PSF clash at KU

KARACHI:

In the 30-minute long clash, activists of the Punjabi Students Association (PSA) and Peoples Students Federation (PSF), equipped with firearms, iron rods and stones, turned the Karachi University campus into a battleground. Rangers brought the situation under control by teargas shelling.

KU’s administration ordered sealing of all the university’s gates, blocking the exit of terrified students. Monday’s clash was a sequel to a similar standoff between PSA and PSF activists on Saturday.

PSF Karachi president, Faisal Shaikh, told The Express Tribune that tension gripped the university when some members of the PSA tore off posters of the PSF’s football tournament, which will be held from March 5 at the campus.

Shaikh alleged that Monday’s clash began when PSA activists opened fire on their PSF counterparts near the university’s administration block. At that moment, Rangers placed a cordon around PSF activists. “This was an apparent move by the rangers to support PSA’s gun-toting activists”, said Shaikh, while terming the rangers’ role “highly suspicious and biased.” “They took several of our activists, including our president, Basharat Ullah, into custody after torturing them.” Meanwhile, KU officials claimed that PSF activists had barged into the administration building and smashed glasses of the offices of the vice chancellor and the campus adviser on Monday.

PSA (KU) vice president Yasir Farid said that nearly 35 PSF activists attacked the PSA-designated sitting area adjacent to the Mahmud Hussain Library on Saturday.

Farid added that his association had asked the university administration to provide them security on Monday because they were anticipating another attack by the PSF.

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