Can the PU administration expel IJT activists?

By Ali Waqar

CAN Punjab University Vice Chancellor Lt Gen (r) Arshad Mahmood, appointed by the former Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to depoliticise PU campus, expel Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) activists from the university?

The PU administration’s track record shows that they cannot expel IJT activists, particularly considering that only a few have been expelled in the past six years. Recently, two IJT activists were expelled from the Institute of Administrative Sciences because they beat up a student talking with a female classmate. Mostly, IJT activists have managed to ‘reconcile’ with the students they beat up and the main disciplinary committee usually serves notice to victims rather than chastising the IJT.

Interestingly, the PU administration, allegedly to save its skin Punjab Governor Lt Gen (r) Khalid Maqbool (the university’s chancellor) served show cause notices to seven IJT activists, including the IJT nazim. The notification asks the IJT activists why they set up admission stalls in the campus without informing the administration.

PU IJT Nazim Allah Bux Leghari (Islamic Studies Department), Fakhr Manzoor (Institute of Business Administration), Muhammad Akhtar and Amar Afaq (Institute of Administrative Sciences), Qazi Imdad (Mass Communication Department) and Owais Cheema (Hailey College of Commerce) have been directed to submit written replies by September 16 to the Registrar Office.

Senior members of the university, government and society are sure that the university’s latest notice would not be a smokescreen to dodge the government but a practical step to root out political elements from the campus. Giving the example of façade, they said the IJT’s recent ‘University guidance seminar’ at the Student-Teacher Centre on Thursday took place at the same when the Punjab governor was chairing a panel discussion in the university.

Reportedly, university stakeholders believe PU should replace its students’ adviser, a known IJT sympathiser and a close relative of one of the top IJT representative in the campus.

THE federal and provincial governments have directed PU to ban all activities by student groups affiliated with political parties, and the PU Syndicate has also circulated various notifications in this regard.

However, the IJT is continuing holding its political activities here. Recently, IJT announced a 10-day Dawat-e-Quran Moahim (Quran awareness campaign), and this is not the firs time the IJT arranged such important functions in the university premises in the past few months. PU IJT arranged a Yom-e-Shuhda-e-Jamia on July 7 in the university premises, addressed by Jamaat-e-Islami Naib Ameer Hafiz Idress and other IJT representatives. They blasted President General Pervez Musharraf’s policies, particularly enlightened moderation and the promotion of liberalism.

IJT also held a 12-day central training camp for selective activists in the university’s hostels. It arranged admission stalls in the PU old and new campus and also arranged several secret meetings, and a special lecture on Jihad by Javaid Kasuri, a senior Hizbul Mujahideen member.



DEFENCE Degree College for Women (Defence Housing Authority) organised a ‘Rehab Khalid Evening’ to celebrate its 10 years. Rehab Khalid was declared its ‘Student of the decade’ for getting 950/1100 marks in the pre-engineering group during the BISE 2005 Annual Examination.

MNA Bushra Rehman was the chief guest and praised Rehab Khalid as being an inspiration and beacon of light for all DDC students. She said the teachers’ dedication and the enthusiastic management would bring success and confidence in students. She, along with Education Director Col (r) Khan Salman Baber and DDC Principal Mahjabeen Zaheer, presented have a memento to Rehab Khalid.



UNIVERSITY of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor Prof MH Mubashar said the university’s ultimate goal was to produce more PhDs in basic medical sciences. He said the university wanted its targets to be achieved qualitatively and quantitatively. He added that UHS students planned to build an animal house for research purposes and install a printing press of their own to publish scientific journals.

Mubashar encouraged students to use the digital library and told them that a separate hostel would be built for outstation students. He said the project was being presented to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for funding. He added that his meeting with the PU vice chancellor was fruitful and the PU was willing to allow UHS students to use its laboratories, examination halls and playgrounds.

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