Karachi:It has now almost become a routine that clashes break out among student groups at universities across the city, leaving dozens of students injured, at times seriously, and disturbing the functioning of educational institutions. The irony is that, just like the administrations of these universities, the police seem to be helpless in protecting the students and arresting the people responsible for spreading violence.

A number of violent incidents among student groups at universities were reported during the past week. A case was lodged at the Aziz Bhatti police station in which a complainant, Asmat, complained that when he was going home after his class along with his friends on March 5, 2010, some persons belonging to a religious political group — Amir Shahzad, Suleman, Naveed, Bilal, Saeed, Taimur, Abdul Kareem, and Irfan — stopped them near the BSc Gate of the university and beat them with sticks. Asmat said that he was injured and was now under treatment at the JPMC. The police have lodged an FIR. He is a student of MBA at Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUAAST).

Similarly, another student, Abdul Raheem Khan, who was also injured in the incident, registered his complaint at the Aziz Bhatti police station, stating that he is a resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, and is a student of MBA in FUAAST. He added that he was going home along with his friends when Haider Ali, Mohsin, Asmat, Gohar Zikria, and Umer Farooq attacked them at BSc Gate of the university. He said that he received injuries and is under treatment. The police have lodged an FIR.

Another clash was reported at Gulshan College. An FIR was lodged at the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station in which a complainant, Rao Ramzan, stated that he was a student of 2nd Year, and Nazim of a student organisation. He said he was beaten by members of a rival student group when he came to college one day to appear in examination.

He explained that the workers of the rival student organisation — Irfan, Shahab, Nadeem, Amir Abid, Asghar, and Iqbal with 10 others — came at the college and asked him to talk to them about some issue. He, along with his colleagues, Taimur, Rehan, and Suleman, reached in front of a nearby mosque to discuss issues with the rival group’s members. However, he said, the above mentioned persons beat them with sticks and rods and resorted to aerial firing, injuring him and his friends. The police lodged an FIR. However, no one has been arrested so far.

It may be noted here that Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Ali Mirza, while taking notice of student clashes at universities and colleges, had directed Provincial Police Officer Sindh Babar Khattak to form committees in consultation with the administrations of educational institutes to control the clashes. However, no progress has been made in this regard.

Observers say that the members of student organisations are well armed and whenever fighting occurs at universities, supporters of these organisations also come from other colleagues or universities.

The institutions in the city where most number of clashes are reported include Karachi University, NED University, Sir Syed University, and FUUAST. Whenever a clash occurs in these institutions, it affects the other educational institutions as well and, as a result, rival groups also start fighting at various colleges and universities across the city.

Moreover, sources told The News that at the time of admission at these educational institutions, an affidavit is signed by the applicants that if he was found involved in political or other criminal activities he should be expelled from the institution. However, the administrations of these institutions have never tried to implement this decision. Rarely student activists are expelled expelled from varsities for their involvement in clashes.

The sources said many FIRs are lodged at different police stations in the city against the students involved in creating law and order situation on the premises of educational institutions, but no action was taken against them by the police or the administrations of the institutions. If the administrations start taking strict action against such students , the number of clashes would significantly decrease.

On the other hand, the police claim that whenever the try to take any action, they face protests and allegations from educational institutions or from political parties for victimising the students. If no one is allowed to do their work, it becomes hard to control such clashes, the police say.

Moreover, during the past week the city also witnessed the killing of three activists of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi), including Haqiqi’s chairman Afaq Ahmed’s lawyer Sohail Aujum, who is also the information secretary of the party. This may intensify the law and rder situation in the city.salis.perwaiz@thenews.com.pkThe news