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Punjab University resists IJT control
Lahore, March 19(Daily Times)- Punjab University (PU) has remained under the indirect control of the Islamist
youth group, Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT), for several years. The university's
administration has finally decided to resist against this 'parallel
administration' and its control.
The IJT has, over the years, influenced
over 25,000 students of the university. It has been involved in various
activities that students welcome.
PU authorities have finally started
resisting the IJT elements following some exposure of the situation by the
media. They have expelled (struck off the university's rolls permanently) and
rusticated (suspended for one to two years) IJT activists. The activists have
said that the charges against them are baseless. They have complained that the
press is biased against them in its coverage of the situation. Organisation
leaders have denied claims that they force their views on students. They also
deny charges of harassment. Several recent incidents, however, have showed that
the IJT has existed as a 'parallel administration' in the PU.
When some
American journalists visited Lahore to film a documentary on the IJT's political
activism a few months ago, they met with the IJT national chief, Nasarullah
Goraya, who used to be the head of the IJT PU chapter. He assured them that the
IJT had no say in PU administrative affairs. However, when the journalists
visited the PU New Campus, a PU guard stopped them. He did not allow them to
enter until an IJT representative told him to let them in. The IJT then hosted
tea for the Americans in the teachers' room. Representatives of the group were
unable to explain how they wielded such power in the varsity's affairs.
A few weeks ago, a Seraiki-language television channel was prevented
from interviewing, PU students, until it obtained permission from the IJT. The
channel was seeking teachers' and students' comments concerning its launch. An
IJT representative prevented them from speaking to any student.
Most
recently, the varsity expelled an IJT member and rusticated two other students
for illegally detaining and beating up a student for taking part in the
performing arts festival.
The IJT activists beat up the student when
they saw him throwing coloured powder on another student. They attributed this
act to the celebration of the Hindu cultural festival of Holi. They detained
him, in their own words, "to teach him a lesson."
The IJT has also
opposed, for over a year, the launch of a music department and performing arts
in the university.
Stakeholders believe that the PU authorities are on
the right track. They say that the removal of the IJT will take a long time.
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