Daily Times

LAHORE: Students of the Punjab University (PU) on Wednesday recorded a protest, by bringing donkey carts in front of the PU vice-chancellor’s office, in favour of their demands and against the PU administration.

On the other had, PU registrar has said that the real demand of the protesting students was to reinstate expelled students, which would not be accepted.

The protesters claimed that their protest was against endemic corruption, dwindling facilities and also concern over university’s security issues. Students took out a rally from PU’s Islamic Centre to the VC office in which hundreds of male and female students participated from different departments.

The protesting students on the occasion carried placards and banners and also chanted slogans against the PU administration.

Meanwhile, a scuffle was observed between the protestors and PU security guards when they tried to stop the protest rally going towards the VC office. On the occasion, a heavy contingent of police was also present that controlled the situation by interfering in the matter.

Later, the protestors scattered peacefully after successful negotiation with the PU administration, which ensured to fulfill their basic and just demands.

Usama Naseer, office-bearer of a student organisation, said that the students have deep concern over the university’s security issues with regard to mobile and purse snatching. He said that despite spending Rs 9.1 billion on building university walls, the security conditions are still deplorable and raise many questions. He said that extortion money in the name of parking fee is also not unacceptable. “The tender of parking stand was given on the principles of cronyism. Fixed mess bill charges of Rs 3,300 are being charged from every female student irrespective of the fact she eats or not. Moreover, abounding hygienic problems and low quality food in the girls’ hostel mess is causing many problems. Students demand for laptops, increase in number of buses and building of new hostels should be addressed as early as possible,” he added.

The protesters said that PU administration tried to dismantle the protest by locking the doors and suspending exams, adding that the administration also issued notices that it would take severe action against the participants. Police and security guards were also called for confiscating the students, which is against Article 25 of the constitution, the protestors said.

Talking to media outside the vice chancellor’s office, PU Registrar Prof Dr Liaqat Ali has said that the real demand of Jamiat-e-Taliba (JIT) was to reinstate those expelled students who were involved in various incidents of violence on campus, which would never be accepted. Instead, the university administration would continue taking disciplinary actions against the students who would take law into their hands, he added.