PESHAWAR, Oct 26: The resurgence of over a dozen student federations affiliated with different political groups is adversely affecting academic activities at the Government College Peshawar, according to the administration and teachers.

“They are not students and rather criminals imposing their decisions on professors and administration no matter what will be their impact on genuine students,” said a senior professor, who wished not to be named.

He said the re-activism of student politics had endangered the future of around 7,000 students enrolled with the college.

In early 1990s, parents were scared to admit their children to GCP as it was considered to be a stronghold of student federations and political groups.

Also at that time, the college had a bad reputation among other colleges in the province for showing poor results.

However, the confidence of the parents and academic atmosphere was restored when the college administration with the support of the then government launched a cleanup operation in 1997, according to teachers.

The expulsion of the leaders of the student federations ended political interference in academic activities. Its ultimate beneficiaries were the students, who began showing excellent results, particularly in intermediate examinations.

Teachers said a good number of GCP students got admissions to professional colleges every year.

They added that similarly, in 2008, the top three positions in intermediate examinations were secured by the students of the same college.

A professor said the continuous struggle of teachers and the favourable academic atmosphere had brought the government college to the level of the historic Islamia College, Peshawar long known for excellent results.

He said it restored the confidence of the parents, who preferred to admit their sons in GCP after ICP.

However, firing by office-bearers of student federations is a common occurrence, said a teacher of the college.

He said the student federations totaled more than a dozen and they were affiliated with political parties, including Pakhtun Student Federation, People’s Student Federation, Islami Jamiat Talba, Jamiat Talba Islam, Insaf Student Federation, Muslim Student Federation and some ethnic student unions, had been functional in the college.

The teacher said the office-bearers of the students’ federations had insulted the college’s principal and professors several times in the last few days for not accepting their ‘illegal’ demands, including admissions.

He said Sadullah Jan, a member of the admission committee, was insulted by a group of students a few days ago when he wanted to scrutinise an admission form submitted by them but the group pressed him for accepting it.

An official of the college’s administration said the student federations had strong support of local politicians.

“No one can lay hands on students,” he said.

He added that some students brought pistols to the college and there was no one to check them.

The official said the government should deploy police at the entry-exit points of the college to stop students from bringing pistols to the campus.

He said if political activism was not stopped immediately, then the destructive era of early 1990s would be revived at the cost of the students’ future.

When contacted, GCP principal Mukaram Khan confirmed increase in the activities of student federations in the college over two years.

He said FIRs had been registered against several students for firing on the college premises but police had yet to take action against them. He also said he raised the matter on different forums, but to no avail.