PU students clash: Asma Jahangir urges government to set up judicial commission, remove VC

Former president Supreme Court Bar, Asma Jahangir demanded on Saturday for a judicial commission led by former chief justice of Pakistan Nasir-ul-Mulk should be constituted to probe into the incident of clash between Islami Jamiat-e-Talba and Pakhtun Baloch Students Union on January 22.
She was addressing a press conference at the Lahore Press Club along with the representatives of civil society, and Baloch and Pakhtun students. She also demanded that the government of Punjab should immediately remove Acting Vice Chancellor Dr Zakria Zakir for giving controversial statement against Pakhtuns and Baloch students. Cases registered against 192 students under anti terrorism act should be withdrawn and all students should be released immediately, she further demanded.
She strongly condemned the incident of clash between the two organizations and said that such incidents send wrong messages to other provinces. Senior journalist Hussain Naqi said that till now they have not seen any role of academic council and the vice chancellor.
Punjab University contradicted Asma Jahangir's statement in her press conference in which she quoted PU VC as saying "to send such students to the mountains". In his press statement, the PU spokesman said that the Vice Chancellor has not uttered any such statement at any forum that students would be sent to the mountains. He said Asma Jahangir is Pakistan's renowned human rights activist and well-respected senior lawyer, and she is requested not to believe in rumours.
He said that the PU administration has assures that action would be taken against the culprits only and biased attitude towards any group would not be adopted by the administration. The PU spokesman said that baseless propaganda based on rumours was being fanned on social media. Therefore, he said, politicians and civil society activists are requested to get the rumours verified and then give any reaction or statement.
In another press conference at the Press Club, Jamat-e-Islami spokesman Ameer-ul-Azeem said that the IJT was not involved in the incident. He condemned the arrest of their 55 workers. The government of Punjab should avoid using Punjab University as a rubber stamp, he said, and appreciated former vice chancellor Zafar Mueen Nasir for taking steps to solve the issue.
He demanded that vice chancellors of the universities should be allowed to work without pressure. He criticized Higher Education Minister Raza Ali Gilani for addressing press conference at PU campus. "Those who are trying to give air to provincialism are not patriots."
Earlier while addressing a conference at PU, Balochistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti said we send our children here for study but not to get involved in politics, so the Punjab government has to swallow a bitter pill and depoliticize the varsity.
He said such incidents occur due to weak administration. "I demand that a clean-up operation should be conducted in the university to root out miscreants like the one carried out in the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore."
The minister said that he came to Lahore on the instructions of Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo who had formed a committee to resolve this issue. Bizenjo slammed the Punjab government for discriminatory action against the Baloch and Pashtun students and said one-sided action would only result into more hatred.
Bugti demanded complete ban on student unions and said they would not support any move to reinstate student unions in educational institutions. He said the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) should not use violent means for politics. "There are conspiracies to divide Pakistan on ethnic grounds. Flags of Afghanistan were painted in hostels and separatist anthems were played during the protests which is an alarming situation," he said, adding that he did not wish Punjab to face the same circumstances as was doing Balochistan.
He said the people of Balochistan are grateful to the Punjab government for giving their students the opportunity to study here. However, he warned of protest if the quota for students of their province was revoked.
Punjab Higher Education Minister Syed Raza Ali Gillani also held a press conference at Punjab University and said the government had taken a decision according to which the government of each province would provide a list of students desirous to get admissions in universities of Punjab.
Mean while addressing a high-level meeting, Chief Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that those who broke the law and created disturbance in the Punjab University deserve no leniency and strict action will be taken against those who committed violence. He said injustice will not be done to anybody and that violence at educational institutions is regrettable.
He said the Punjab University is not educational institution of only one province but it is the university of whole country and nobody will be allowed to create disturbance in this institution. He said nobody will be allowed to disturb learning environment in any education institution of the province including the Punjab University. He said action against those who created violence in the university will be taken without any political consideration and a special committee formed to look into the matter should present its report soon. He said permanent and solid policy should be made to avoid such incidents in the future.
He said Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and KPK are our provinces and our children are getting education in institutions of these provinces and it is our responsibility to provide them best educational environment. Provincial minister Syed Ali Raza Gilani, Khwaja Ahmad Hasan, additional chief secretary home, Inspector General Police, Commissioner Lahore Division, VC Punjab University, Chairman Higher Education Commission Punjab and other concerning officials also attended the meeting.