PkSF activists were accused of attacking IJT members on campus and burning three of their rooms in Block B. PHOTOS: PPI
Mindful of escalating violence between two student unions, the University of Peshawar’s (UoP) administration has vacated blocks A and B of the new hostel. The decision was taken after another clash erupted between the Awami National Party (ANP) backed Pukhtun Students Federation (PkSF) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) backed Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) on Monday.
The police arrested 19 PkSF members after they allegedly stormed Block B of the hostel and set three rooms belonging to IJT members on fire on Monday.
“We have arrested 19 people, including two who possessed TT pistols. They fired in the air excessively and at the police squad sent after them,” said a campus policeman.
Monday’s clash was round two of a conflict which cropped up between PkSF and IJT over celebrating Valentine’s Day and Haya Day on February 14.
Three students were injured after IJT allegedly tried to bar students from observing the Feast of St Valentine which PkSF insisted on celebrating. The rooms of PkSF members at the university dorms were also burnt and the PkSF believed it was done by IJT. UoP administration constituted a committee to probe the issue and filed cases against IJT activists.
On Monday, IJT campus nazim Shahzaman Durrani held a news conference at Peshawar Press Club, demanding the UoP administration lodge FIRs against both sides. He accused PkSF activists of attacking IJT members on campus and burning three of their rooms in Block B.
“None of the IJT members fired back since the majority of our members were here at the press club. They (PkSF) opened fire and burnt down our rooms,” claimed Durrani. IJT members planned to hold a protest on campus after Maghrib prayers.
PkSF leader Mukarrab Khan told The Express Tribune some people, posing as IJT activists, entered the campus and started firing at PkSF activists.
“We opened fire at them. They escaped but we could not stop our members – who were furious – from setting fire to IJT rooms.” Khan shared PkSF has lodged cases against IJT activists.
Following the attacks, UoP administration vacated Block A and B of the student hostel.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2014.
COMMENTS (14)
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@vaqas: This is your dream, which would never come true. If IJT would not be there, the secularists would have crossed all limits of decency.
"They might have it but it refers to loving and hating the same person, regardless of mental faculties." But different persons were being hated by different groups. Therefore, the title should have been "Love for some, hate for some situation."
@Truth Told: A love hate relationship has nothing to do with schizophrenia brother. They might have it but it refers to loving and hating the same person, regardless of mental faculties. A psychiatric illness that would come close to love/ hate would be borderline personality disorder, which also has nothing to do with schizophrenia. But what i was referring to was that even though, as you point out, it was not used as it is intended it still perfectly sums up the situation described in the news article.
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.
Regardless of their affiliations, students' political activities must be banned at all educational institutions. Political parties and other groups should not be allowed to use/misuse students for their ends.
Oh and apt headline btw. See alot of people criticizing incorrect headlines. Might as well acknowledge a good one. The love being the valentines day and the hate which jamat islami and its student union spreads all across the country.
Islami jamiat taliba should be banned nationwide, for all they do anywhere is create nuisance and put innocent live at risk. On the same token so should the jamat islami be banned for the cancer they are. All religio political parties should be banned for that matter, they have not a cent worth to contribute to this country.
@sadiq khan: pakistan in general...peshawar in particular....
i agree with you mr Amar Ali Khan but political activities of those who are creating trouble should be banned and those are Pukhtun Students Federation who are backed by ANP & Islami Jamiat Talaba which is backed by JI. these two groups activities should be banned in University of Peshawar.
It's shameful act.Instead of promoting a friendly environment, these people are disturbing the studies of others. I think it's time to ban all political activities at Peshawer University Campus!
no doubt Peshawar is living in stone age and will live in stone age kingdom of taliban