Violent student protests rock Punjab cities

RAWALPINDI: A student protest in the Dhoke Gangal area of Rawalpindi erupted into violence on Thursday, leading to the arrest of around 250 individuals.

The demonstrators, while protesting against the alleged rape of a college student in Lahore, forcibly entered a hostel, vandalised property and damaged vehicles. In response, police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd and evacuated trapped teachers and staff. This unrest is part of a broader wave of protests across Punjab, spurred by rape allegations that have gone viral on social media.

In Lahore, police registered cases against 200 to 250 individuals for vandalism, and 24 students were arrested for attacking police and setting motorcycles ablaze. Additional police forces were mobilised at various educational institutions. The violent demonstrations sparked coordinated police raids in Lalamusa, resulting in the arrest of 92 individuals posing as students for their involvement in similar protests and acts of vandalism across multiple campuses of private colleges, escalating tensions and disrupting the academic environment throughout the region.

A Rawalpindi police spokesperson has confirmed that around 250 people were arrested. Rawalpindi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Hafiz Kamran Asghar said the police dispersed the protesters and controlled the situation. Elite Force troops were also stationed on Sixth Road to maintain law and order.

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema said that many of the protesters who damaged property under the guise of protest were arrested, and additional police forces was stationed outside the educational institutions.

Speaking on Geo News programme Geo Pakistan, Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran said that students were being misguided. “The children are being misled by specific social media accounts,” said the DIG, adding that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is investigating who is behind these social media accounts. “College students do not want to protest but they were instigated from external sources,” he remarked, claiming that petrol bombs were also recovered from the students.

In Lahore, Harbanspura police have registered a case against 200 to 250 individuals for vandalising property and setting six motorcycles on fire during a protest. The police also arrested 24 students protesting against the alleged assault on a female student. The case, filed under Sections 324, 353, 186, 291, 290, 436, 147, 149, and 382 of the Pakistan Penal Code, states that the protesters attacked the police with petrol bombs and targeted the police station’s parking lot, destroying six motorcycles belonging to police personnel.

In a series of coordinated police raids in Lalamusa, 92 individuals posing as students were arrested for violent protests and acts of vandalism at multiple branches of the private college across the district. The campus chaos had claimed the life of a security guard, Azhar Hussain. The violent demonstrations, initially appearing as student-organised protests, have left a trail of destruction, disrupting the academic environment and spreading fear across the district.

Gujrat district police launched raids on multiple locations to track down the instigators. So far, 35 individuals were arrested by Lalamusa DSP Muhammad Akram in collaboration with the Gujrat Sadar police. Additionally, Kharian Saddar police have taken 39 more suspects into custody in connection with the riots, while Civil Lines police arrested 15 and Lalamusa Saddar police detained three. Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Safdar Hussain has ordered the closure of all public and private colleges across the district.

In Toba Tek Singh district, Gojra City police booked eight students from the local chapter of the private college for organising a procession. In Gujranwala, private college students protesting on GT Road pelted stones at a van and broke its windows after clashing with police. The students staged protests at various locations for the third consecutive day. During the protest on the GT Road, the students confronted police officers, pelting stones at a police vehicle and causing damage.

Meanwhile, the civil society has called for the inclusion of representatives from human rights organisations, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and Aurat Foundation, in the official investigation commission. The involvement of civil society representatives in incidents related to human rights is seen as essential to prevent politicisation and address the matter with authenticity.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Alia Neelam of the Lahore High Court has summoned the Punjab IGP, advocate general and registrar of the Lahore College for Women University in their personal capacities. This is related to a petition filed for a high-level investigation into the recent incidents in educational institutions in Lahore.