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PU spokesman says admin not to tolerate ‘dharna-style’ pressure
LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday expressed grave concern over the recent actions of the Punjab University (PU) administration against a number of Pashtun and Baloch students.
In a statement, the commission said, “HRCP has expressed serious alarm over the mistreatment of Pashtun and Baloch students by the administration of the Punjab University. On January 22, 2018, there was a clash between different student groups at Punjab University’s Quaid-e-Azam campus in Lahore, following which a crackdown was initiated against the students allegedly involved in the incident. Cases were registered against a number of students and more than 200 students were arrested. A majority of the students who were arrested were Pashtun and Baloch. The university administration sent show cause notices to the students and suspended some of them. The arrested students were released on bail eventually and the provincial government claimed that the charges against the students, which included sections of the Anti-terrorism Act (ATA) in some instances, will be dropped.”
“Following these developments, the administration of Punjab University expelled a number of Pashtun and Baloch students on February 17, 2018. At the same time, the university administration issued show cause notices to more students. The cases that were registered against the arrested students are still in effect and the bail of the students, who were released, can be cancelled at any time which can result in their arrest. The students who have been expelled and suspended have been protesting the decisions against them for more than a week now, the statement read further and added that the protesting students demanded the decisions of their suspension and expulsion be taken back and they should be allowed to attend their classes.
“They also demand that the cases registered against them should be withdrawn as promised, and they be treated with respect.” The HRCP in the statement maintained that the administration should take action against any campaigns that were labeling the Pashtun and Baloch students ‘Anti-Pakistan’.
“The impression that the university administration has been targeting Pashtun and Baloch students because of their ethnic identities is cause for grave concern. The HRCP urges the university’s administration to take immediate measures to address these valid and serious concerns. HRCP also calls on the varsity administration to engage the protesting students and initiate a process of dialogue with them as soon as possible,” the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the PU said that the university administration would not tolerate “dharna-style” pressure of any student group over the expulsion of students involved in the violent incidents of January 22.
The PU spokesman in a statement said that action against the students was taken on the basis of strong evidence as per the rules and regulations, and such politics of sit-ins had damaged national politics. “Now some people are conspiring to damage the peaceful academic atmosphere of the varsity,” he added.
The spokesman also said that PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zakria Zakar would review the appeals of the expelled students as per the law and he was determined to not tolerate any unlawful pressure against the decision of the disciplinary committee.