It’s not a matter of student affair but actually the failure of the administration. The last regime of Prof. Dr. Mujahid Kamran promoted a few of the students from Balochistan northern areas and gave a full them opportunity to grow. Aiming to drive them from unrest to peaceful atmosphere of University of the Punjab, but they may have been kept and grown in those hands who know how to play with them.
It was a great ceremony specially organized for these Balochi students to introduce them with other students who were little aware about their customs. High ups of the University administration and some of the politicians were invited in this ceremony where the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Kamran Mujahid announced a special package for few of these students which were belong to far-flung areas of KPK, Balochistan and FATA etc. Last five years of this regime all these deprived students not only got their higher educational degrees but they got recognition in the Pakistan in every field of life. The step taken by the Vice-Chancellor was appreciated by the politicians and others. However, a tiny mistake which was unfortunately miss-understood by them was that they should be kept in different hostels rather than to mingle them with others, because these students don’t know how to survive among those who have deep roots in the University of the Punjab since long.
Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) has strong hold in the University, as many of the teaching and even non-teaching staffers were serving here through direct or indirect involvement of IJT. As a matter of fact their existence has many positive and negative points but it is true that their image has been shaded due to some elements who are among them but not sincere as they were in past. Prof. Dr. Mujahid Kamran and his most fellows still serving on various key positions have served as student leaders of IJT during their student lives and therefore, they know when, where and how hit the hot iron and what will be the consequences.
The resent unrest situation was expected because this little team of innocent Balochi students were beaten by a group of students of the University during a cultural ceremony arranged by the Baloch students at front of the Institute of Education and Research last year. It was the time when the than Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mujahid Kamran was about to leave his hot seat of VC while the name of Dr. Moeen Nasir was in the air as coming Vice-Chancellor. Both student groups fought their last fight in the chair-ship of Prof. Dr. Mujahid Kamran. An FIR was lodged against the culprits who were found guilty during the whole scene. Adil Memon was the SP Iqbal Town at that time who explained all the issue and the actual stance of the administrator.
Dr. Zafar Moeen Nasir took the charge on 28th of December 2016 as Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Punjab. Who is this Dr. Zafar Moeen Nasir? He has introduced seven point agenda for entire working and teaching community. Not much but little impressive because he directly explain all about what he has in his mind. Here the main leading characters who have served and enjoyed the whole tenure of Prof. Dr. Mujahid Kamran as his right hand has gained the moral support of the newly appointed Dr. Moeen Zafar. These leading characters always find opportunity to be in power by hook or by crook and get maximum favour from the leader of the house and they got a lot within one year of tenure of Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Moeen Zafar.
The entire conflict of the students groups ended on the FIR against about 12 culprits who were directly evolved in the whole crime. The innocent students who were been trodden by the other group of students took a sigh of relief on the action taken by the university administration. But the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor got the FIR expunged against the students and allowed them to join university again on urgent basis; making the other group annoyed as they had suffered a lot during the last fight. The aggravation was excelling gradually and the students were waiting the right time. During the whole year these students has registered their reservation for his action but the Vice-Chancellor and his cabinet may not pay attention over the seriousness of the issue.
Now the resent incident happened again in the presence of newly appointed Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Zikria Zakir. He is renowned sociologist; pride of performance holder a very humble and deep thinking personality has deal this hot issue with very tactfully. He didn’t politicize the issue and with the consultation of the experienced administrative teaching faculty members he took the silent steps to deal with the matter. It is pertinent to mention here the name of Prof. Dr. Sajid Rashid Ahmad a man of vision served on key administrative posts in previous years, voluntarily offered his service to deal with the matter.
Anyhow, the unrest may go on longer as the both groups of the students were trying to get sympathy and to declare themselves as innocent but let’s see which way the camel sits. It’s a new challenge for Prof. Dr. Zikrai Zakir how to deal with but one thing is very much clear that the way he is dealing the whole issue with the involvement of the concern politicians and other the results will be in his favour.
The writer is Phd Research Scholar of Mass Media.
Alishah287@gmail.com