Punjab University (PU) Department of Philosophy’s female students and faculty members boycotted class work and took out a rally from the department to the vice chancellor’s office, where they staged a sit-in to record their protest against the hooliganism of Islami Jamiat-e-Taliba (IJT) on Friday.
Those female students, who were abused by the IJT activists a couple of days ago when they stopped IJT activists from torturing students, launched the protest. The students, holding placards and banners, demanded Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif stop ‘favouring’ IJT activists and start an operation in PU hostels against the IJT activists, who tortured students.
The PU teachers condemned the Punjab government, saying that the CM had a ‘soft corner’ for IJT, which was the reason behind IJT’s hooliganism.
PU VC Mujahid Kamran assured students a strict action against those who were involved in unlawful activities. Talking to the media, PU VC said IJT should know that these days were not like the previous ones, as IJT’s offices at PU Hostel No 1, Hailey College and others had been sealed. He said the present administration had already taken stern action against the IJT activists and now would take further necessary measures. He said some elements, who were recruited against merit in the varsity, were backing IJT activists, who were involved in criminal activities. Some of the ‘influential’ people reached police stations when FIR was registered against the culprits, he said.
The faculty members and students dispersed peacefully on the VC’s assurance for taking action against the IJT activists.
PU Academic Staff Association (ASA) Secretary General Iftikhar Tarar condemned IJT activists and said that he supported the varsity administration and sympathised with the protestors.
Later, a group of IJT activists approached the admin block raising unethical slogans against the teachers. They beat the university guards, when the guards tried to forbid them from using abusive language against the teachers.
The IJT activists also launched a rally against varsity administrations. According to IJT activists, varsity administration promoted non-Islamic traditions in the varsity and stimulated students to protest against the IJT. They said that the varsity administration was involved in corruption and illegal appointments, and just to hide the reality, they were propagating against the IJT. They said that the varsity administration should accept the IJT.
PU students rally against IJT
