Firing incident in Peshawar University leaves one student injured. PHOTO: REUTERS
A member of the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT), the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was shot and injured when student bodies IJT and the Pakhtun Student Federation (PkSF) exchanged fire at the University of Peshawar, police said.
The young man identified as Rizwanullah was taken to the Khyber Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Police officials said that after Friday prayers, a group of 120 IJT members stormed the AB Block hostel, broke windowpanes and set six rooms on fire.
They then proceeded to march towards Jamrud Road and blocked it for about 20 minutes. The campus police said that an FIR will be registered against those involved in this incident.
The student federation’s chairperson, Mukarrab Khan, said that one of their members was sitting with his friend when IJT activists asked them to stop talking and leave the area. This led to an argument which sparked a fight between the two.
Members of the PkSF claim that IJT activists were walking around campus in the morning in an effort to separate couples and forbid them from celebrating Valentine’s Day on campus as it was against their religion.
They added that the IJT wanted the university students to observe Haya Day instead of remembering St Valentine.
The university has set up a committee to look into the issue. The administration held a meeting to discuss what happened and what steps will be taken to address the issue. They also plan to launch an operation to search the university’s hostels for weapons.
Punjab University students observe Haya Day
Islami Jamiat Talaba activists distributed pamphlets and organised a march to observe ‘Haya Day’ (Day of Modesty) while roses were being exchanged for Valentine’s Day on Friday.
IJT celebrated Haya Day to curb the trend of Valentine Day which is against the teachings of Islam, said IJT central information secretary Muddasir Shaha. Muddasir said pamphlets were distributed among students in education institutions to celebrate Haya Day instead of Valentine Day.
At Punjab University (PU), IJT displayed posters and charts to promote Haya Day. “We arranged brief lectures and presentations about Haya Day at several departments,” said Luqman Ali, In-charge Media Cell IJT at Punjab University.
He insisted that the student body did not force any one to stop celebrating Valentine’s Day, but merely tried to raise awareness about modesty.
In Sahiwal, two IJT activists were arrested for wall-chalking against Valentine’s Day outside educational institutes in the sub-district of Cheechawatni.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.
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@Arslan: There it is again.
Do you simply copy paste the exact same statement under all pieces with any reference to the West?
Expressions of love are now considered vulgar and intolerance is not only accepted, but encouraged. Pitiful.
If you do what west does your are civilized, enlightened vision, progressive nation, your Women's are free, you are tolerant.
If you do not and ask for respect of your culture, values, and above all Religious Beliefs. Than you are violent, fundamentalist, uncivilized, women freedom haters and terrorists.
Let's not be sell outs. Let's respect our women's and restore there Honor instead of showing them off in the public, taking of their clothes, and making them a medium used to sell our products better and faster.