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Students hold demo against emergency
LAHORE, Dec 04, 2007: The Students Association for Rescuing Pakistan (SARP) held a protest
demonstration against suspension of the Constitution here on Monday and formed
Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Square near National College of Arts (NCA) on The
Mall.
A large number of students from NCA, FAST-National University,
Government College University (GCU), King Edward Medical University (KEMU),
Punjab University (PU) and other colleges participated in the demonstration.
They were carrying banners and placards inscribed with pro-judiciary, pro-media
and anti-government slogans.
The students showered rose petals on the
Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Square situated near Zamzama Cannon on The Mall,
paying tributes to the judges who did not take oath under the Provisional
Constitution Order (PCO). The protesting students also distributed pamphlets,
which highlighted their demands.
Students' rally for restoration of judiciary
Islamabad: Students of twin cities are all set to stage a 'big rally' here
today against the November 3 coup against judiciary but they don't want Islami
Jamiat-e-Tulba (IJT) to dominate after Imran Khan's Punjab University episode.
Students belonging to various universities and colleges of twin cities,
having ideological differences with IJT, after having consultations with
students of other academic institutions of the country formed a Student Action
Committee (SAC) to jointly protest at national level against what they
called extra-constitutional acts of Pervez Musharraf. IJT, a wing of students
affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami, has not been considered while forming SAC
because of its stance. Students who formed SAC say that their ideas don't match
with the IJT and they would not let it hijack their crowd on Tuesday at Aabpara
Market, Islamabad.
Aliya Amir Ali, an activist of SAC and a student of
Quaid-i-Azam University, said that formation of SAC was a result of
differences between IJT and all other students of twin cities. "The IJT formed
Joint Student Movement (JSM) to hijack the support of all students who have
differences with the views of Jamaat-e-Islami", revealed Aliya. She said that
SAC would welcome IJT in their protest but would not let any of them to address
the crowd.
She said that IJT may be having some support in universities
and colleges but that doesn't mean that IJT would be allowed to hijack SAC's
crowd. Ayesha, who is also looking into the matters of SAC, said that IJT's
views don't match with the ideology of Student Action Committee, therefore, no
member of the IJT was considered while forming SAC.
Huma, an activist of
SAC, said that their demands were simple and include restoration of judiciary,
release of political prisoners, uniform education system throughout Pakistan and
expulsion of army from politics. "Though IJT also demands the same, but it was
working for political interests of Jamaat-e-Islami", she said.
"The IJT
may join the December 4 protest but it would not be given a chance to get
political benefit from it," she said. She revealed that Imran Khan was expected
to participate in their protest and IJT might repeat the Lahore
episode.
On the other hand, the IJT claims that the SAC has been formed
by leftists and has the agenda of spreading secularism through their movement.
Hafiz Hamdullah, nazim of the Islami Jamiat-e-Tulba at International
Islamic University, when contacted, said that SAC is a union of
leftists whereas IJT represents rightists. Differences of ideology exist and
leftists have been promoting their own agenda under the umbrella of SAC. He said
that the IJT might participate in the December 4 protest as it has been called
under the banner of students and IJT represents students.
The IJT nazim
said "We have been blamed for manhandling Imran Khan but no one has highlighted
that 17 members of the IJT have been expelled from the Punjab University after
that episode."
The IJT nazim said that they all condemn what happened
with Imran Khan at the Punjab University. He said that they were ready to
protest along with leftists for the restoration of judiciary.
Zubair
Safdar, IJT nazim at the University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, said that
they would participate in the protest organised by the SAC. "But," he said, "the
Joint Student Movement had also called for protest on the same day, therefore,
we would protest under the umbrella of JSM." The News
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