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- Khalid’s Cartoon in Daily Times, 6 January 2014
Daily Times - January 04, 2014
Morality brigade in action : IJT activists thrash PU student for co-studying with female classmate
by Arsalan Haider
LAHORE: Activists of Islami Jamiat e Taliba (IJT) on Friday demonstrated yet another display of barbarism and influence at the University of Punjab when they beat a male student for sitting next to his female classmate in Vice Chancellor Office Lawn.
During the visit of this scribe at PU, it was observed that an activist of IJT was beating a male student and other activists were forcing the student to leave the lawn after his female friend. After beating the student, IJT members ordered him to walk across the ground while holding his ears as a sign of repent.
It is pertinent to mention here that the lawn is adjacent to PU Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran’s office and two to three security guards are always deputed outside VC office. As the incident happened and continued for at least 10 minutes, none of the guards approached the spot to stop IJT students.
The student who was tortured, told Daily Times while requesting anonymity that he and his fellow were studying at the lawn as IJT activists called him and asked about the department. He said that he told them they were studying during a recess, but the IJT activists did not listen further and started to thrash him. He added that IJT activists were saying that sitting of male student with female was not allowed in PU premises as it was against the principles of Islam.
He was of the view that university was a studying place and they must not be stopped for studying in the premises of university. He said that he had previously listened and seen barbarism of these activists with other students but he never thought that this would happen to him. “I am still shocked and could not believe that they were beating me for studying while sitting with a female student,†he added.
He said that he now believed that if IJT activists could torture teachers without any reason then how a student could remain save. To a question about filing complaint to administration, he was of the view that he would not file a complaint as he feared that IJT activists would come to his department and torture him again. He demanded PU vice chancellor, Punjab chief minister and other government officials to take action again those miscreants who did not want a peaceful studying environment at PU.
As some observers say, these types of activities of IJT activists was not a new phenomenon in PU premises.
It is worth mentioning that in year 2013 IJT was involved in several illegal and hooliganism when al-Qaeda activist was arrested from the room of a Nazim of IJT in PU Hostels. In December 2013, IJT activists tortured lecturers of Punjab University Law College and locked them in a room. After a grand operation at PU Hostels, drugs, liquor and bullets were found in the room of IJT Nazim.
Although PU administration had taken strict action against IJT, but the recent incident of beating the student shows that there is still need actions against them in order to save the peaceful academic environment of the varsity.
When contacted, PU spokesman said that PU administration would take disciplinary action against those involved in hooliganism if some one lodged a complaint about any incident. He added that the PU was a coeducation university and university had not barred its male and female students to sit together as there was no objection while they are studying.
IJT spokesman Hafiz Luqman said he was never informed about the issue that some IJT activists beat a male student just for sitting with female fellow. He said that he would inquire the matter and if some activists of IJT found involved in beating or torturing, they will be expelled from the party.
In a separate incident, IJT activists also threatened security officials deputed at PU Jamia Mosque during Friday prayer. PU Estate Officer Abdul Shakoor and Assistant Security Officer Shahbaz Ahmed were performing their duties outside Jamia Mosque, New Campus for the safety of Namazis when IJT activists Abdul Kabeer, Tanzeel ur Rehman, Usman and four others came to them.
The spokesman said IJT goons threatened security officials that they would broke their legs for their involvement in lodging FIRs against them. While threatning Shahbaz Ahmed, they said they would take revenge from him at his hometown in Mansehra.
It is pertinent to mention here that Shakoor was a complainant against Abdul Kabeer in an FIR and the accused was on bail. The university administration has forwarded application to Muslim Town police for registration of FIR.
The PU spokesman said threats meted out to PU security officers after Friday prayer was a shameful act committed by IJT hooligans. He said that the IJT’s behavior reflected its hypocrisy and despicable character.
SEE ALSO
Punjab University: ‘Parents must keep kids away from IJT’
By Our Correspondent
Published: December 3, 2013
http://tribune.com.pk/story/640125/punjab-university-parents-must-keep-kids-away-from-ijt/
TV Programme: Hooliganism by IJT in Punjab University
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x184qzk_programme-hooliganism-by-ijt-in-punjab-university_news
MORALITY ENFORCERS WAR ON PAKISTANI CAMPUSES
http://tribune.com.pk/story/614383/morality-enforcers/
The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2013
Editorial: Morality enforcers
The event was in full flow when some 30 students from Karachi University burst into the premises. PHOTO: FILE
Are we facing an even more massive threat to our peace and our way of life than that posed by the Taliban, with their bombs, grenades and guns? In many ways, the extremist mindset entering our society poses a growing danger, one that has gradually seeped into each and every aspect of our lives. There are many manifestations of this, evident in all walks of life. The latest came at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) in Karachi, where students had organised a trade fair, complete with music and food stalls, to launch their marketing club. The event was in full flow when some 30 students from Karachi University burst into the premises, knocked over the stereo systems and accused the IBA students of wasting money on ‘song and dance’ as quake victims suffered and people starved. Two of the most aggressive intruders were handed over to Rangers.
The Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, linked to the Jamaat-e-Islami and responsible for similar acts of ‘moral policing’ on campuses around the country, was suspected of carrying out the action but its spokesman denied any involvement. Regardless of responsibility, however, the episode reflects the kind of thinking that now exists everywhere. Cases of couples being harassed at parks, beaches or cafes have come in — and we have in Punjab seen objections to school syllabi aimed at promoting tolerance. In many ways, this narrowness of vision, this orthodoxy, drives forward militancy. We must attempt to combat it, as fiercely as we must tackle the Taliban themselves. There is just no way around this. As a society, we are being stifled by the attempts to impose a certain set of ideas on us. This must be combated — it must be challenged — and all of us have a duty to play a part in this task before it is too late and the force of this extremism washes over all of us, destroying what is left of a way of life we must somehow try to hold onto, one way or the other.
o o o
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\10\07\story_7-10-2013_pg3_1
Daily Times, 7 October 2013
EDITORIAL : IJT at it again
One of the premium institutions of higher learning in Punjab is being held hostage by an Islamist student organisation and there does not seem to be anything anyone can do about it. The Punjab University (PU) has been hijacked by the sinister agenda of the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT), the militant student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), that has been making life hell for the students, administration and teaching faculty for decades. Everything from what they wear to which subjects are taught is scrutinised by these hooligans who go to many violent lengths to fulfil their deranged plans. The latest news to emerge from the campus grounds is that IJT goons have besieged the residences of those in charge of the hostels. This is because the administration has started taking some stringent measures to crack down on the shenanigans taking place in the hostels of the university. The hostels are the hub of all IJT activity. The IJT has had control of the hostels for a very long time and now the university administration is finally trying to wrest it back where it belongs. On Thursday night, university authorities locked six hostel rooms when they found out that some IJT members were holed up inside illegally. IJT ruffians broke three of the locks, completely defying university faculty. They then went on to attack the homes of the hostels incharge and the chairman of the Hall Council.
There is no dearth of such tales in the PU. The hostel issue is particularly contentious because of the fact that right under the noses of the university authorities and government itself, all manner of hooligans and even militants are given sanctuary in these rooms by the IJT. This is not just illegal, it is dangerous. The PU is an educational institution and to have even the slightest possibility of those affiliated to terrorism and illegal activities residing within the campus is dangerous for other students. This kind of behaviour by the IJT has been going on since the 1960s but their daring and defiance have reached new heights. In today’s particularly volatile law and order situation, for a university to have such a destructive force within its boundaries is worrisome indeed. The JI will never stop supporting them because this kind of muscle is just what they want. The government must take action against these thugs who, if not stopped, will swallow the university whole. Just sitting back and watching this happen will only make this situation worse. *
