In a gruesome incident after midnight on Saturday, Islami Jamiat Taliba (IJT) activists with the support of Punjab University’s own security personnel entered PU Hostel 7 and brutally tortured varsity teachers and students, Pakistan Today learnt.
After the incident, PU faculty and students appealed to PU Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran to remove the security officials involved in the incident immediately. According to reports from PU, IJT members openly used firearms after which hundreds of PU students took to the streets and condemned the Punjab government for its failure to eradicate extremism groups from PU’s hostels.
However, PU IJT Nazim Zubair Safder denied the IJT’s involvement in the incident and blamed Philosophy Department students while condemning the use of weapons within the varsity. To participate in ‘Dars-e-Quran’: PU sources claimed PU Hostel Security Incharge Arshad Butt, known for an IJT background, tipped off IJT activists about the rooms of the students leading the recent protests against the IJT and provided cover while IJT activists beat up teachers and students in the hostel.
Some varsity teachers belonging to religious groups in the varsity were also reported to be involved. The sources said the use of weapons was to incite fear into students and show the plight of the current PU administration in providing them protection.
It is reported that groups of armed IJT members raided PU Hostel number 7 in the wee hours of Sunday. The IJT members entered the hostel through gate number 4 telling hostel security guards they were to participate in a “Dars-e-Quran.” Their real intentions became clear upon entering hostel number 7 when they raided a number of hostel rooms and opened fire. However, when the university security force arrived with the hostel administration including superintendent and hall area president, the IJT members fled by jumping the hostel’s boundary walls.
Those left severely injured after the incident include many including Hostel number 7 Superintendent Shahid Mahmood Gull, Philosophy Department Assistant Professor Hassan Siddiqi, Assistant Superintendent and Zoology Department teacher Chokidar Mumtaz and Philosophy Department students Muhammad Shahid, Hafiz Shahrukh, Kashif and Ghulam Ishaq. The injured were taken to Sheikh Zayed hospital having suffered serious blood loss and later were referred to Jinnah Hospital after a police case was registered.
‘Will not be deterred:’ PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran held an emergency meeting of the deans and principals of colleges early on Sunday morning to discuss the grave situation arising from the sinister raid to disrupt the university’s academic environment.
Later, the VC visited hostel number 7 along with senior members of the administration and also shared his feelings of deep sympathy with the injured students who were assured that the administration and Punjab government would take all necessary steps for their safety and protection and ensure exemplary punishment was taken against the miscreants. The students, in response, assured the VC they would not be deterred by a handful of students who were bent upon disrupting PU’s academic environment.
A senior PU teacher said the PU administration was well-aware that the IJT activists had attacked with the help of Hostel Security Officer Arshad Butt but were helpless in front of the organization. He said it was unfortunate that Arshad was on the PU’s payroll but worked for illegal elements and demanded that the PU VC replace him with an ‘honest’ official. “Even teachers residing in hostels fear for their security after this raid,” he said. He held the Punjab Chief Minister Punjab responsible for the law and order failure at PU and warned of a movement against the Punjab government by thousands of students and varsity teachers if no action was taken.
‘We were crying for protection’: A Philosophy department student seeking anonymity said, “We have been crying for protection from the local Taliban, but no action was taken. Today, the use of weapons in a PU hostel proves that their supporters are present in PU’s hostels.” He said female students had come out in protest but the Punjab CM was still silent in front of extremists residing within the varsity’s hostels. He said that the affiliation of the extremists with the IJT was not confirmed but it was clear that they had support from within the hostels. He demanded an anti-Taliban operation at PU by the Punjab government and the forced eviction of illegal residents from Wazirstan and the tribal areas.
PU Hostel Security Incharge Arshad Butt, when contacted, said he was not aware of the attack and had been lazy in getting information on it.
IJT Nazim denies: PU IJT Nazim Zubair Safder denied that IJT activist attacked students and used weapons and counter claimed that Philosophy Department students Shahrukh and Shahid had kept weapons in their hostel rooms. He claimed the allegations against the IJT were the PU VC’s propaganda against the IJT, who was stimulating students against IJT and hiding his own corruption. He claimed that the PU VC had asked different groups to unite against the Jamiat. He continued to claim that the IJT’s ideology was clear in condemning violence in the varsity and were ready to take action against those from within the IJT that reacted against their ideology.
