PU students demonstrate for release of colleague

LAHORE: Dozens of Punjab University (PU) students taking out a rally at New Campus here on Monday demanded immediate release of their fellow Alamgir Khan Wazir.

The rally organised by the Pashtoon Education Development Movement (PEDM) was taken out from the Sociology Department and culminated near the Vice Chancellor (VC) office where the participants observed a sit-in which continued till filing of this report. The rally participants carrying banners chanted slogans and alleged that Alamgir Khan Wazir, nephew of MNA Ali Wazir, was picked by unknown people from the university. They criticized the PU administration for not sharing CCTV footage and allegedly threatening the students to end the protest.

It is pertinent to mention here that the police recently registered a case against some students and organizers of the Students Solidarity Walk, held on November 29, including Alamgir for making provocative speeches against state institutions.

Talking to The News, PEDM Chairman Rehan Khan alleged that the PU administration is threatening the students with cancelling their admissions for taking part in PEDM rallies. He said the PU administration is not sharing CCTV footage which could establish that Alamgir was picked from the university. Rehan said the students are peacefully protesting to highlight their demands. He alleged that Alamgir was in fact trapped as he was invited by his department, Department of Gender Studies, to receive his degree and afterwards he went missing from the university.

Meanwhile, a Punjab University spokesman said all students of the university enjoyed liberty within the orbit of the law. He said no student organization would be allowed to disrupt peaceful atmosphere on the campus. He rejected the allegation of threatening the students. He said: “We did not have evidence about former PU student Alamgir Khan Wazir’s arrest from the campus and now he is on judicial remand.” He said it was learnt that his last location was Barkat Market, Garden Town, before he got lost. He said the higher level of freedom that PU students have is not enjoyed by students of any other university. However, the PU administration would not allow any student to malign the repute of state institutions. A particular segment of so-called “thinkers” must not interfere in the affairs of the Punjab University.

He said around a dozen students staged demo outside the VC office while all activities of the academic life at the university were as per routine on Monday.