ISLAMABAD: Dozens of Quaid-i-Azam University students were arrested on Tuesday in an early morning raid by the Islamabad police in response to the varsity administration’s request seeking assistance in evicting the premises.
The university administration completely vacated hostels number 6, 8, 9 and 11 with the police arresting 55 to 60 students who have been shifted to the Secretariat Police Station.
Providing details of the action, the administration claimed that the students had been directed to vacate the hostels by July 13 for the maintenance work set to be carried out during the summer vacations.
Noting that a large number of students had already vacated the hostels, others were given multiple deadlines to comply with the directives and were eventually evicted after the expiry of the final deadline.
Expanding on the matter, the Islamabad police said that “legal assistance was provided at the request of the university administration”.
Students had vacated 11 hostels; however, four hostels were not being vacated and the varsity had complained of students illegally residing in these buildings.
Students who resisted this peaceful process have been shifted from the hostel, and legal action will be taken at the written request of the university administration, the police added.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir has claimed that as many as 72 students had been taken into custody from the varsity.
“We are going to meet the vice chancellor so that the issues can be resolved,” Mazari said while speaking to Geo News outside the police station.
Furthermore, the Vice Chancellor’s Office has been locked in view of the student protest.
“The VC Secretariat has been closed due to the student protest,” said the university’s administration.
