LAHORE : (Wednesday, January 27, 2010): The Spokesman of the Punjab University has stated that the University administration has initiated inquiry proceedings into the Tuesday's incident in which rival student groups clashed with each other in front of the Hailey College of Commerce, resulting in injuries to certain students.

In a press release issued here today, the Spokesman said the PU Students Affairs officials immediately provided first aid to the injured students on the spot and later shifted them to the Jinnah Hospital for further medical treatment. He said the Principal Hailey College of Commerce Prof Dr Liaqat Ali chaired an emergent meeting of the senior faculty members this morning and unanimously decided to suspend the classes of Rehan Khan, Mamoon ur Rehman, Umar Farooq, Hafiz Wajid Ali, Zubair Sabir students of BCom (Hons) and Hafiz Farhat Abbas student of MCom with immediate effect who were involved in the clash. These students have also been directed to appear before the College Disciplinary Committee on February 02 next. The meeting has also decided to call their parents and seek written undertaking from them to the effect that if they involved in any such illegal incident in future, they would be expelled from the college without any intimation to their parents. He said, in respect of students who belonged to other Departments, the Hailey College Administration would make recommendations to the University Disciplinary Committee for appropriate legal action against them.

The Spokesman further said that on the basis of a medico-legal report, an FIR had already been registered with the Police Station New Muslim Town authorities. Describing the said incident as an act of hooliganism, the Spokesman remarked that a handful of activists were bent upon disturbing the peaceful academic environment by indulging in illegal and negative activities. He lamented that such an attitude towards the oldest and largest seat of learning on the part of certain activists was deeply regrettable.

Referring to the manhandling of a Gilgat student in Hostel No 16, the Spokesman said the administration was still awaiting the receipt of a formal written complaint from the aggrieved party on the basis of which the University Disciplinary Committee, comprising senior most teachers, would be asked to fix up responsibility for the culprits involved in the incident for their expulsion from University without any further delay. The Spokesman also impressed upon the students to devote their precious time and energies for acquisition of knowledge instead of frittering it away in negative activities, thereby jeopardizing their bright future.