LAHORE: Islami Jamiat Taliba (IJT) convinced the students of Government Islamia College Civil Lines and MAO College that the Punjab Assembly was planning to abolish blasphemy law through a bill on Wednesday and forced them to participate in a protest which was actually against the establishment of Board of Governors (BoG).
Around two dozen teachers of Joint Action Committee (JAC) were arrested after around 400 students and teachers converted Charing Cross into a battle field from 11 am to 2 pm.
‘WE WERE FORCED’: Civil Lines College students said that IJT activists closed the college’s gates and while carrying sticks in their hands forced them to protest. Asim, a Civil Lines College student, said IJT activist also beat those students that were avoiding joining them and when they reached The Mall, they came to know that the protest was not against the blasphemy law but against Board of Governors (BoG).
Fearing the IJT activists, they still continued the protest, he said. Some students fled from the scene but those who came to college on their bikes were helpless as IJT activist had shut the parking stand and had said that they will give them their bikes after the protest, he added.
BUS SET ABLAZE, POLICE BATON CHARGE: Meanwhile, students started a protest at The Mall and tried to enter the Punjab Assembly, and damaged the security cameras and walk through gates. Confused and angry protestors chanted slogans against BoG and demanded the government to revoke the decision regarding BoG’s establishment.
Around 400 students with 30 teachers tried to breech the security of Punjab Assembly and were able to approach the inner most cordon where the police baton charged. Resultantly students pelted stones on the police and set ablaze a bus while breaking windows of two others.
A professor said they were protesting against BoG’s establishment in 26 different government colleges when the police started canning them which, he said, was unfair. He said they protested peacefully for two hours but their plea fell on deaf ears. He said, “Our team of seven people including Dr Zahid of GC Gujranwala and Tanveer Shah of GC Emelson College Multan with some students went inside to talk when police arrested them.”
JAC Chairman and Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association President Prof Dr Zahid Ahmad Sheikh said they have decided to organize a sit-in in front of Punjab Assembly as a protest to force Punjab government to withdraw its notification of BoG’s establishment. He said that BoG was a harmful step for the poor and was initiated by the Punjab government.
He said that Punjab government has made a committee under Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah to address their issues but that committee could not address their grievances. Sources in the Health Department said that the Punjab chief minister after police’s baton charge on teachers and students immediately called Higher Education Secretary Haseeb Athar and discussed the matter with him.
When police was busy beating up the students, Athar was asked to attend a ceremony at Sharif Education Complex at Raiwind and the Higher Education Department was completely unaware about the police torture, sources said. Two FIRs have been registered at the Qila Gujjar Singh and Islampura police stations against 250 students and teachers each.
The FIR names Prof Dr Zahid Sheikh and IJT Lahore President Asghar Nadeem. The FIR is registered under sections 290, 291, 427, 147, 149 and 186.
