LAHORE: Raising their voices against the violent activities of Islami Jamiat-e-Talba (IJT), arrest of Baloch, Pakhtun, Saraiki and other students and the violence at campuses, girl students of various educational institutions of Lahore, under the banner of Women’s Collective, held protest demonstration on Friday at Charing Cross. A large numbers of girl students were gathered at the rally. They were holding placards and banners inscribed with various demands, messages and slogans. The protesters also chanted slogans against the IJT, the Punjab government, the Punjab University administration and other departments for arresting students due to their ethnic background. Girl students belonging to the Punjab University, the Government College University (GCU), the Kinnaird College for Women, the National University, the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and others were present on occasion. Few days ago, a violent clash between activists of IJT and Pashtoon and Baloch Students Union left many students injured. It also disrupted the academic activities at the PU. After the incident, police held a search operation inside the PU hostels and arrested more than 100 students belonging to both groups. However, Pakhtun and Baloch students claimed that police released IJT activists, but was still detaining their colleagues. The arrested students were also charged under 7-ATA section for being involved in terrorism activity. Talking to Daily Times, one of the organisers and representative of Women’s Collective, a GCU student, Mohiba Ahmad, said that Pakhtun and Baloch brothers were being arrested by government for raising their voices. She said that the matter was no longer only confined to the PU as GCU students belonging to Gilgit and Balochistan had also been arrested. “Campuses are the only safe space for women we have, but due to violence, especially ethnic, we are losing this safe space,” she said. Mohiba said that all the students had condemned the recent incidents of violence at PU. “These clashes are now spreading to various other campuses in Lahore. The media and political groups are trying to give an ethnic colour to the entire episode and Punjab Police has exacerbated the ethnic divide by bringing terrorism charges against a particular ethnic group, leading to fears that there will be more strife and violence in campuses in near future,” she said. Another student, Aamna from FAST NU, was of the view that girl students faced many difficulties in coming out of their houses to get education. “We live in a conservative society. In the recent incident, students were charged under terrorism laws. This is totally unfair. However, on the other side, the goons the IJT are still working on their agendas to implement their own understanding of religion on others,” Aamna said. “We are being blamed for supporting Baloch and Pakhtuns, but we want to tell everyone that we are just students who have no political agenda. We do not belong to any particular group. We are just raising our voices against injustice,” she said. “This women’s peace march is our declaration that girl students are neither passive, nor weak. We not only oppose violence on campuses, but we will actively resist it. We will fight for more security so that our lives and the lives of our colleagues are safe. We will defeat all nefarious designs to divide students along ethnic or religious lines. We will give the voice to the vast majority of students who want to pursue their studies in peace. We will be the bearers of a more tolerant and just society,” Sara, another student, said. Published in Daily Times, January 27th 2018.