PU closed down for four days

LAHORE - The Punjab University administration has closed down the university for a period of four days from May 12 to May 15. The closure has been announced following fear of resistance by the IJT activists who had announced holding of three days book fair from May 13 to May 15. The university administration did not allow them to organise the fair terming it as illegal. However, Tulaba Taqreebat Committee of the IJT insisted on holding book fair according to the schedule. They also threatened to resist on attempts to foil book fair. Earlier, the university acting VC Prof Azhar Ikram and PU spokesman Dr Mujahid Mansoori had said that the PU would not allow the holding of any fair which was illegal. The university has also deployed police and security personnel at the departments and at the hostels. Nazim PU IJT said that the book fair is 100 per cent legal and those who wanted to sabotage the book fair are themselves illegal. He said following lifting of ban on students union, the decision of the Punjab University Syndicate to block the book fair does not hold any ground. He warned widespread protest if there was any attempt to restrict the book fair. Punjab University Administration is of the view that organising a book fair was the prerogative of the University Administration alone and not of a student group and it will hold the book fair in October according to its plans. Bureaucracy directed to solve masses' problems Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Dost Muhammad Khan Khosa has directed bureaucracy to open the doors of its offices and hearts for common man. He said that those officers creating hurdles in solving genuine problems of the people would not be tolerated while any govt official would not use his influence for any illegal work. He was addressing PML-N and PPP office-bearers and members of the assembly before he was briefed by the district administration on his visit to district Jhang. The chief minister said that power was sacred trust of the people and any person involved in its violation would not be forgiven. He said that Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif considered service to the people as a basic manifesto of their politics. He said that as such it was incumbent upon the officers to mend their ways otherwise, they would not be spared. PML MPAs Iftikhar Khan Baloch, Muzafar Khan Sial, Aun Abbas Khan Sial, Faisal Jabwana, Asim Bukhari and Asifa Farooqi informed the chief minister about the details of local problems regarding police, revenue, health and education departments upon which he ordered district heads of the concerned departments to ensure resolution of public problems in consultation with the public representatives and PML office-bearers. Earlier, DCO Jhang Zubair Khurshid Bhatti gave a briefing to the chief minister about the developmental situation of district Jhang. On this occasion, RPO Tallat, EDOs and DOs of district Jhang were also present. The chief minister met with prominent personality Pir Pathan at his residence in Satellite Town, Jhang Saddar who presented him traditional gifts and expressed best wishes for the government.

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