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 IJTÂ’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 teachersÂ’ room. Representatives of the group were unable to explain how they wielded such power in the varsityÂ’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 teachersÂ’ and studentsÂ’ 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.