Protesters attempt to disable a van using an ice pick. PHOTO: SHAHBAZ MALIK/EXPRESS
Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) activists clashed with policemen, torched a bus and disrupted traffic on Monday in a protest at the Punjab University’s (PU) decision to convert a hostel for boys to one for girls.
The university administration called in the police on Sunday in order to clear Hostel No 16, an IJT stronghold, of boys.
Police removed the male students out of all but a few of the rooms and female students began to be sent in to their new accommodation.
But some members of the IJT, which is the student wing of the Jamaat-i-Islami. returned overnight while police surrounded the hostel in the morning to clear the remaining rooms. In a raid on one room, assigned to IJT PU Nazim Rao Adnan, police found bottles of alcohol, bhang and several bullets, said police and administration officials.
Twelve accused of creating a ruckus during the raid at the hostel were detained. Another four were later arrested for allegedly throwing stones at the police and female students.
Meanwhile, angry students gathered on University Road for a protest called by the IJT. They parked university buses near the PU underpass on Canal Bank Road to try to block it.
Students snatched the keys of several vehicles on University Road and threw them away in a successful attempt to block traffic. Hundreds of vehicles were stuck for several hours on Canal Bank Road, Iqbal Town’s Main Boulevard, Wahdat Road and Multan Road.
Up to eight motorcyclists stopped a Lahore Transport Company (LTC) bus near Naqsha Stop on Wahdat Road, forced the passengers to get off, doused it in petrol and then lit it up, according to the FIR of the incident.
The university administration again called in the police and they chased the protesters back onto the campus. A further five male students were arrested, taking the total to 21, said Operations DIG Rana Abdul Jabbar.
Normal traffic flow was restored by around 5pm, police said.
The LTC claimed that two other buses had been damaged by students, at Garhi Shahu and on Bund Road near Taj Company, but no FIRs were registered in this regard at Garhi Shahu and Islampura police stations.
A total of seven FIRs were registered by police against PU students on Monday for various public disorder offences including rioting, for assault, for attempted murder, and for offences under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2013.
COMMENTS (21)
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After watching the TV programs talk shows one must agree that there were serious reasons that led them to this protest. However they should not have not gone so far. Rather authorities should have worked to solve the variousl problems of PU so that students do not go out on roads.
Why the Supreme Court not initiating su moto actions on these rowdy elements.
These are students enrolled in one of the core educational institutions of Pakistan undergoing either a bachelor or masters level qualification. Yet they lack the basic ability to comprehend /understand /evaluate that their actions (i.e. damaging vehicles or infrastructure) will have impact on individuals(us) only (poor and rich alike). This will not have any impact on the government at all. Do they (branded as students) assume that the government cares about infrastructure at standstill, domestic peace, a common mans problems. If they do then they are just Naïve!!!!!
Crush them out, like bangladesh govt did.
Soney pe suhaga: Student that too Islami ! Result of JI idealogy and training. This is the one single reason of current state of affairs in Pakistan that these type of islamists are rampant on streets, on mountains, evry where who are imposing their agenda through terrorism. They are stigma on our religion.
True face of J.I , they sold dead mujhahideen @500k per body. #sharamnaak
usually when hostel students gets the job after their studies they still live there to save money because of high rents in the city. They apply in MS/PHD program and every year they fail by not appearing in the exams too.
IJT and JI, inventors of terrorism in Pakistan, the peace killers
Shame on Jamiat. see student in picture. Destroyed expensive tire of truck for spreading ISLAM. On day of judgement he would be answerable for destruction caused to his muslim brother. So do would be Munawar Hassan and NAZIM Punjab University.
@Muhammad Saim: He is not puncturing the tyre. He is only checking the tyre pressure. This is what Maulana Munawar Hassan will say.
This is the true face of JI and its off-springs. Pure Extremism.
Look at the photo. An Islami Jamiat Student spreading Islam by puncturing tire of a truck !!
IJT is present in PU from decades but when it protest against government it becomes rogue otherwise it is okay.
@Shaikh Mohommad: I believe them because from among the arrested students, my father recognized the one who snatched mobile from us at the canal road and even fired shots when my father resisted
These Religious party destroy the Punjab university institution completely. Now This uni is worst in research.
@Ammar: Do you believe what Police says? I don't. Police have not caught a single person committing murders in Karachi? Why?
My dear hero Imran was beaten by the same student organization. This is called Karma..
ban ji and ijt
" IJT PU Nazim Rao Adnan, police found bottles of alcohol, bhang and several bullets"
Party of gangsters.