Students on the streets

Students in Faisalabad continue protests for third day against the privatisation of educational institutes.

FAISALABAD:

The joint action committee (JAC) formed in various colleges, against the formation of board of governors has announced its intention to go on strike and boycott classes on December 10 and 11.

The JAC also announced plans to protest outside the Punjab Assembly on January 8. JAC chairman, Prof Riazul Haq, and information secretary, Jalal Usmani, said that they would boycott classes in all colleges today and tomorrow and also hold protests. The students and teachers said that the next protest would be on a large scale and that the government should take strict action against the officials who had tortured students and teachers. Meanwhile, in Multan police officials who tortured protesting students were reprimanded. The students of various colleges presented a memorandum to the director of colleges in protest of the privatisation policies.  Students said that on Thursday, five people in white clothes had stopped them and beaten them with sticks during their protest. “This was when the students flared up and began vandalising public property,” said a college guard Latif.

Pakistan student federation (PSF) divisional president, Arif Shah, said, “We thought the men were members of the director of colleges office and said we wished for a peaceful protest.” “We wanted to present a memorandum to the college officials but the men attacked us,” he said. Maki Shah, Ahsan, Pervez Khan, Laiqat and Asim Khan were severely injured during the protests but the accused escaped the scene.

“We submitted an application against the director of colleges but police are not taking any action,” Shah said.

Police officials said that they had registered a case.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2010.