Attack on Punjab University college principal

PU teachers to boycott classes until ouster of miscreants
Lahore, Apr 03: The Punjab University (PU) Deans Committee on Friday condemned the manhandling of PU teachers and damage to the university property and demanded of the Punjab government to launch a police operation to force the IJT out of the campus.

A large number of varsity teachers also held a rally to protest against the hooliganism of the IJT activists. The PU Academic Staff Association also decided to boycott the classes until all miscreants illegally living in varsity hostels were ousted from the varsity premises and peaceful academic atmosphere was restored.

The Deans Committee meeting was chaired by PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran. Deans of various faculties, Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Jamil Anwar Chaudhry and Registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan were also present.

Calling the attack on Prof Dr Iftikhar Baloch a murder attempt, the committee observed that it was the most unfortunate incident in the history of the Punjab University. The meeting also observed that the IJT activists and expelled students had often been found involved in acts of violence, gross misconduct and breach of the university rules. It said the IJT activists had unleashed a reign of terror and they harassed students to make the university their stronghold.

The meeting was informed that the IJT hooliganism had sent a wave of anger and resentment among the students and teachers. The meeting noted that the PU administration was doing its utmost, within available resources, to ensure congenial and secure environment for students so that their studies were not disturbed, but the administration could not play the role of the police and arrest the miscreants carrying weapons.

According to a press statement, a general body meeting of the Punjab University teachers condemned the assault on Dr Iftikhar Baloch. The meeting was held at the auditorium of the Institute of Chemical Engineering on Friday.

The meeting passed several resolutions, stating that the varsity teachers would boycott classes indefinitely to protest against the hooliganism of the IJT activists. On Monday, another general body meeting of the ASA would be held. Teachers will march towards the Punjab University Canal Bridge to register their protest. The PUASA has also requested the administration to vacate hostels and launch an operation against criminals taking shelter in varsity hostels for the last four decades.

30 IJT activists booked for manhandling PU teacher
Lahore: Muslim Town Police on Friday registered a case against around 30 IJT activists on charges of manhandling Professor Dr Iftikhar Hussain Baloch of the Punjab University.

Those nominated in the FIR included Abdul Manna, Wajid, Ashraf, Usman and 25 unidentified persons.

The accused were charged with attacking, with sticks and rods, the office of PU College of Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES) Prof Dr Iftikhar Hussain Baloch, who was also chairman of the Disciplinary Committee. Dr Baloch received severe head injuries and fell unconscious for quite some time. He was taken to the Jinnah Hospital and later referred to the Service Hospital.

The accused also attacked the PU VC's office and residence and caused damage to the properties. Dr Iftikhar Baloch was main target of the IJT activists as he was heading the Disciplinary Committee which had recently expelled some of IJT activists from the university after through investigations, including opportunity of personal hearing. The news

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BNU students present charter of demands to admin
Lahore: A delegation of students from the School of Liberal Arts (SLA) at the Beaconhouse National University (BNU) submitted on Friday a charter of demands to the administration. Wearing black clothes to register their protest against the proposed merger of their department with the School of Social Sciences (SSS) and the termination of their Dean Naveed Shahzad, the students said they were committed to opposing the merger and were awaiting the administration's response to their demands.

However, BNU Vice Chancellor Sartaj Aziz said he held a meeting with the faculty of SLA and informed them that the merger decision is still under consideration and a final decision would be taken in the next few days after a meeting of the Board of Governors (BoG).

Painted black: Students wearing black clothes continued their protest inside the campus and put up posters all over the university against the merger, in favour of Naveed Shahzad, suggesting a merger with the School of Media and Communication and against the mostly-economists BoG. One of the students said that they had submitted their demands in writing to formally register their protest. In the charter the students said other departments should also be merged along with the current merger, importance be given to subjects pertaining to liberal arts as BNU claimed to be a liberal arts university, they are satisfied with their dean's performance and she should be restored, include people with knowledge of liberal arts in the BoG, tell the students the administration's clear plans about their claims of promoting Naveed Shahzad, and in case of her replacement someone of equal or higher capabilities should take over as the dean.

Degrees: The student said their main concern was the status of their degrees after the merger. A female student said most of the SLA students and those from other departments also supported them, while they were concerned that their departments would also be merged soon. She alleged that the administration was warning them that their protests would not bear any fruit, adding that it was unfair different tactics were being used to stop them. Sartaj Aziz said both the administration and the students were satisfied, adding that they would soon resolve the university's administrative and financial matters and call the BoG meeting soon. He said no department would be eliminated but would function under a common dean. A BNU faculty member said that they informed the VC that the merger was not in the favour of the varsity, department or the students. He said the SLA faculty was upset for not being taken into confidence before deciding to merge the two departments. Daily times

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PEF to run non-functional schools
Lahore: On the directive of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the school education department has decided to hand over the non-functional government schools to Punjab Education Foundation (PEF). The schools to be handed over to the PEF were non-functional due to non-availability of staff in the tehsils including Esa Khel, Noorpur Thal, Kaloor Kot, Mankaira, Chobarah, Jatoi, Rojhan, Tribal Areas of D.G. Khan and Rajanpur, Cholistan area of Bahawalpur and R.Y. Khan. In a DGPR handout issued here on Friday, the School Education secretary said the management of non-functional schools would be given to Punjab Education Foundation to ensure the availability of local teachers. The assets and the properties of the schools would remain with the Education Department, while the management and functioning would be given to the Punjab Education Foundation. The news

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PhD degrees awarded at PU
Lahore: Punjab University has awarded PhD degrees to Qamar Shaheen, Fauzia Habib and Muhammad Farooq Sabir in the subjects of Chemistry, Persian and Molecular Biology, respectively.

Qamar Shaheen has been awarded PhD degree in the subject of Chemistry after completion of her thesis entitled "Variations of Toxic Metal Contents in High Protein Diet, Staple Foods and Vegetables by Environmental Factors.

Fauzia Habib has been awarded PhD degree in the subject of Persian after approval of her research thesis entitled "Persian Histor-iography in Subcontinent from 998AD to 1526. M Farooq Sabir has been awarded PhD degree in the subject of Molecular Biology after approval of his research thesis.
entitled "Studies on Physiological Effects of Different Forms of Therapeutic Alpha Interferons. The nation

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