LAHORE: Students from Pashtun, Seraiki, and Baloch backgrounds have been staging a sit-in outside the Punjab University vice-chancellor’s office for two days, alleging discrimination in admissions and hostel allotment.

They demanding equitable treatment in admissions and hostel accommodations.

Around 20 students protested their rejection from various master’s programmes and the denial of hostel allocations. Hailing from Balochistan, Fata, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and south Punjab, these students claim to have passed the written examinations but were not enrolled during the interview process.

Tensions escalated on Sunday afternoon when security guards confronted them on the university’s new campus, resulting in injuries to 15 students. On Monday, the students held a meeting with the VC, demanding action against the security personnel involved in the alleged assault during the protest.

Videos circulating on social media depict security guards wielding batons against the students.

The students were marching on the main gate of the university to express their concerns about discrimination in hostel allocations, FIRs filed against them, suspension of their monthly stipends, and the refusal to admit around two dozen students who excelled in written examinations for MPhil programs.

A Pashtun student from Balochistan claimed that despite 60 seats being available for the MS Economics programme (20 in the morning and 40 in the evening), only 30 students were admitted.

Nasrullah, vice chairman of the Pashtun Educational Development Movement, expressed concern about the alleged discrimination by the university administration.

He called for the reinforcement of an open merit policy for internally displaced persons students to submit fees, the revival of monthly stipends for Fata and Balochistan students, and the prioritization of the girls’ hostel mess system.

Spokesperson for PU Khurrum Shehzad defended the university’s stance, asserting that the administration would not yield to protests demanding illegal admissions and hostel allocations.

He said that the students had not qualified during the interview process, leading to their admission refusals.

He also emphasized that the administration was adhering to a merit-based policy for admissions and hostel allotments.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2023