Punjab University expels 13 IJT, 4 Pashtun/Baloch students

Lahore : Taking stern action against students involved in creating law and order situation on campus on January 22, the Punjab University administration has expelled 13 students belonging to Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) and 4 students belonging to Pashtun/Baloch organizations as a first phase of disciplinary action.

The disciplinary committee has also initiated second phase of inquiry while issuing notices to 30 more students on the basis of evidences being collected.

It is pertinent to mention here that this is for the first time in the recent history of Punjab University to punish those students involved in creating unrest on campus with major penalty that is expulsion from the university.

On the instructions of PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Zakria Zakar, the Disciplinary Committee, consisting of senior professors, has maintained high standards of justice, objectivity and fair play.

The decision in the first phase of the inquiry is based on foolproof evidences corroborated by many types of material which includes recording of surveillance cameras, eyewitnesses, documentary record etc.

The expelled students belonging to IJT are Osama Ejaz, Muneeb Farooq, Rahat Ali, Sikandar Kakar, Muhammad Uneeb Afzal, Ahmed Zakriya, Abdul Baseer, Osama Bin Shafaat, Hidayatullah, Samiullah Khan, Zeeshan Ashraf, Mian Arsalan and Arif ur Rehman.

The expelled students belonging to Pashtun/Baloch organizations are Asfand Yar, Alamgeer Khan, Naeem Wazir, Paiuddin Khan while their 6 students were rusticated who include Muazam Ali Shah, Maqbool Lehri, Salman Wazir, Salman Ahmed, Waris Khan and Ashraf Khan. A warning was also issued to one student namely Ahmed Khan.

It is pertinent to note that expulsion means now the student cannot get admission in any department of the university forever while rustication is for one year.

The penalties of Rs 10,000 (ten thousand) fine coupled with three months probation was imposed on five students including Ajab Khan, Abbas, Abdul Salam, Dolat Khan and Rehan Khan. Two ex-students Bilal Ahmed and Dawood Khan, one each from both sides, were declared persona non grata by the disciplinary committee.

The Disciplinary Committee has also banned entry of expelled and rusticated students in the university.

The PU spokesman said that some of the students produced fabricated documents before disciplinary committee to avoid disciplinary action. However, they were shown evidences regarding their involvement in the incident by the committee members.

Out of 34 students who were issued notices in the first phase, only three students i.e Shahid Nawaz, Ahmed Junaid and Muaz Ahmed were exonerated since their involvement in the clash could not be established through the available evidences.

The PU spokesman said the committee has observed extreme cautions not to harm any student who is not involved in the incident. He said the administration has also provided the involved students with an opportunity, as per university calendar, to file an appeal against the decision of the disciplinary committee within fifteen days to the Vice Chancellor.

The PU spokesman said that the administration was committed not to tolerate any pressure from any student organization. He warned that any students, who would resort to any unlawful reaction against the decision of the committee, would be dealt with disciplinary action as per law since the inquiry in the same incident is in the second phase to take disciplinary action against more students who would be found involved in the incident.

The spokesman said that the administration is also making all-out efforts to ensure peace, tranquility and rule of law at campus. He said that any effort to sabotage the peaceful academic environment will be dealt with iron hand and no leniency would be shown to any deviant student.