Students' protest spreads across Pakistan's Punjab province

Lahore, Oct 15 (PTI) A large number of students held demonstrations outside the Punjab assembly protesting the alleged on-campus rape in a Lahore college while the agitation spread to other cities of the province on Tuesday.
     The rally participants demanded a committee comprising independent human rights bodies, student representatives, and judges, to investigate the Punjab College rape case, the harassment incident at the Punjab College for Women, and the recent violence against students.
     The protests erupted on Monday morning in at least four boys' and girls' campuses of the privately-owned Punjab Group of Colleges following social media reports that a female student at the Gulberg girls' campus in Lahore had allegedly been raped by a security guard in the institution's basement.
     Police claimed they have the suspect in custody, but he has denied the allegation during investigation.
     State's Information Minister Azma Bukhari claimed no on-campus rape incident has taken place. “Lahore and Punjab are being targeted through 'fake incident of on-campus rape',” Bukhari said in a statement on Tuesday even as a large number of students held demonstrations at Multan, Vehari, Zafarwal, Jahania and Faisalabad cities of the Punjab province.
     Students from various universities in Lahore participated in Lahore's rally, held under the banner of the Progressive Students Collective. Holding placards, chanting slogans against the government and demanding justice for the victim girl, students demanded setting up of anti-harassment committees on all campuses, ensuring student representation, particularly that of a female student.
     “An awareness campaign should be launched regarding harassment laws and procedures, and this information should be included in the educational curriculum,” the students demanded.
     In Multan, students of Punjab College held a demonstration prompting police to baton-charge and arrest several students while in Zafarwal, the protesting students blocked roads by burning tyres at the main GT Road.
     Earlier, on Monday, at least 28 students, including girls, were injured during clashes with police. Videos posted on social media showed anti-riot police and other police personnel chasing and thrashing students, who were said to be arguing with officials inside the college premises.
     The students said the administration, in an attempt to cover up the incident, had deleted the recordings of cameras installed in and around the campus.
     Earlier on Monday, after a visit to the college, where the incident is alleged to have happned, Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat on Monday met with the protesting students and assured them of justice. He also called for action against the college administration if rape allegations are found to be true.
     “Action will be taken against the principal and the college administration if allegations related to the deletion of pictures and video evidence are proved. My department will not hesitate to seal the college and cancel its registration, if the charges are proven,” he said and also condemned the brutal use of police force against the protesting students.
     Meanwhile, the Punjab government on Monday formed a high-powered seven-member committee to probe the incident. It will submit its report to the chief minister within 48 hours.
     The Directorate of Public Instruction Colleges of the Punjab province has suspended till further orders the registration of the Punjab College for Women where the harassment incident had taken place.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)