LAHORE, May 16: Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) activists threw flowerpots at Punjab University vice-chancellor office and vandalised its windowpanes on Wednesday in protest at the killing of Awais Aqeel on varsity campus.

No university security guard challenged the rioters.

Protesters led by IJT PU Nazim Rai Haq Nawaz and IJT Punjab Nazim Rusal Khan chanted slogans against the VC.

Speaking to them, Mr Nawaz said VC Dr Mujahid Kamran had created an environment of suppression making the campus a safe heaven for killers. He said PU security guard Imran was killed in police custody in March but no one was arrested.

He said Ibrar Wattoo, the alleged killer of Awais Aqeel, had been involved in firing incidents, but the university never took any action against him. He claimed Wattoo was seen in Teachers’ Colony shortly before the killing of Aqeel.

Mr Nawaz also said that Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar, who was the cousin of the VC had abducted two IJT activists and subjected them to torture. He said the IJT had got registered a case against Prof Sarwar and in return, the professor had threatened Aqeel of consequences.

PUASA executive body members rejected allegations.

The IJT Punjab nazim announced province-wide protest demonstrations against VC’s anti-student policies and arrest of Aqeel’s killers.

The IJT also rejected PUASA’s call for boycotting of classes. “At least, teachers should not give calls of boycotting classes,” an IJT spokesperson said.

Also, countering PU administration’s claim that Aqeel was not a university student, the IJT emailed the scanned copy of Aqeel’s library card to reporters. The IJT says Aqeel was the PU Law College, part-II, student with roll number 353. His library card number is 35227.

A PU spokesman said Aqeel had appeared for his LLB Part-I annual examination, 2011, with roll number 1927 and failed. The spokesman said Aqeel had submitted his admission form for supplementary examinations and thus lost the right to be a regular part-II student of the PU Law College.

VC: Punjab University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran condemned the manhandling of two chemistry department teachers and vandalizing of his office by students.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the VC said the chief minister had taken notice of the issue and directed top police and Home Department officials to take steps to control the situation. He said he had held a meeting with the home secretary and the capital city police officer.

He said a student organisation was doing politics on bodies, which was a deplorable act. He said only 30 to 40 goons were fanning violence on campus. “It is unbelievable that a few boys are doing violence on their own,” he added.

Prof Kamran said the teachers who had been tortured were on tenure track and enjoyed excellent academic profile. He said the administration had a stance that there should be no role of political student organisations in the university. “One student organization is involved in all incidents of violence on campus,” he said.