At least 10 students were injured on Tuesday in a clash between the Peoples Students Federation (PSF) and Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) at the Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU). Two were given first aid on the spot and the rest were taken to a hospital.
A case was registered by the university administration.
Witnesses said that some students belonging to the PSF had an argument with a group of Islami Jamiat Talba students at the Abu Bakr Hall.
The argument became violent and the students attacked one another with whatever they got their hands on, including chairs, desks and bricks.
The students dispersed when the university administration intervened and the police were called. Two students- Rana Javed and Rao Mudassar- were treated on the spot.
Eight students- Abdus Saboor, Mehran Bosan, Zakaullah, Muhammad Bilal, Rauf Khan, Abdul Ghafoor, Abu Bakr Jamal and Mohsin Niazi- were taken to Nishtar Hospital, where doctors treating them later said that they were out of danger.
The IJT students Javed and Mudassar had attacked Bilal and Bosan in the morning. They said when they later gathered in front of the hall to protest against the PSF, they were attacked again.
PSF students denied the allegations saying that the IJT students had attacked Mudassar in the hall. They said Javed had then called some fellow students for help.
Resident Officer Dr Amanullah told The Express Tribune that a university guard and an employee had recovered a pistol from an IJT member. He said it had been handed over to the Alpa station house officer.
Dr Amanullah said that witnesses’ accounts seemed to suggest that the fight was started by the Islami Jamiat Talba students. However, investigations, both by the police and the university’s disciplinary committee, were in progress.
Later, PSF (Punjab wing) held a meeting to condemn the incident. It was presided over by PSF divisional president Arif Shah.
He urged the university to take action against ‘outsiders’ and stop them from entering the university.
The PSF students later gathered on Bosan Road and blocked it for some time. They also blocked the university entrance.
When contacted, Islami Jamiat Talba leaders accused the university administration of siding with the PSF.
They denied that any of the IJT students were armed or any pistol had been seized from them. No one has been arrested so far.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2013.