On Monday at Punjab University’s (PU) new campus, Islami Jamiat Tulba (IJT)-affiliated students allegedly attacked a group of students who were celebrating Holi with permission from the administration.
At least 15 students from the Hindu community were hurt as a result of the attack. Videos of the incident that showed assaults on members of the Hindu community were widely shared on social media.
The Holi celebration had been planned by the council and the Hindu community with approval from the university administration, according to Kashif Brohi, general secretary of the PU‘s Sindh Students Council. However, IJT activists started issuing threats after students posted an invitation to the event on their Facebook page.
On the day of the celebration, IJT activists attacked the students gathered outside the PU Law College with guns and batons.
According to Brohi, 15 students from the Hindu community and the Sindh Council were hurt in the altercation and were unable to attend the celebration.
Later, the students demonstrated in front of the vice chancellor’s office. There, security guards attacked them with batons and bundled four to five of them into vans so they couldn’t record their nonviolent protest.
The Sindh Council and the Hindu community requested that a case be opened against the IJT activists and security personnel for torturing the victims with the administration and police.
On the other hand, IJT spokesperson Ibrahim Shahid denied that the group prevented the Hindu community from celebrating Holi and stated that the attackers may have used their names without authorization.
He further added that IJT was committed to ensuring that members of minority communities have equal rights to hold religious events. Shahid also said that IJT was holding Dars-i-Quran on the campus and was not present during the attack.
A PU spokesperson stated that the administration will take action against the students involved in attacking minority community members.
He clarified that although the administration had given the Hindu community permission to celebrate Holi in a hall, they were actually doing so in public.
The security personnels were reportedly trying to prevent the students from approaching the VC office, but the spokesman denied that they had attacked the students.
The spokesperson added that there were minor injuries to the students and that those responsible for the altercation would face disciplinary action.
