Karachi police fail to vacate Islamia College’s building

The Karachi police on Saturday failed to vacate the premises of Islamia College on the orders of the apex court, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.    

Hostilities erupted after court officials along with Karachi Police served the college administration with orders to vacate the building but they refused to comply with them and reportedly incited students to resist the vacation.

The court officials later requested the relevant police station to send riot police.

The police had to face tough resistance from the students of Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) as they allegedly pelted stones at law enforcers to keep its possession intact. However, the police allegedly used brute force against students at Islamia College Complex after a large contingent of riot cops tried to vacate the institution’s building. The police also fired tear gas and baton-charged to disperse the students.

At least seven students were arrested by the police while protesting against the action.  

The police also used water cannons to disperse the students who were protesting against the police to force the college’s administration, faculty, and students out of the building complex.

Jamshed Quarters police SHO Naveed Soomro said that the college was established on private property whose owners/trustees approached the Supreme Court (SC) to get its premises vacated.

The officer said that the SC gave an order in favour of the “decree-holder” and directed the Sindh High Court (SHC) to end its “occupation”.

He said the SHC directed the City Courts to ensure the implementation of the apex court order and hand it over to the SHC nazir.

The SHO said that the police party, along with the court’s bailiff, arrived at the college with senior police and education department officials.

He said the bailiff was talking with the college’s principal when certain students allegedly pelted the police with stones. Soomro added that the police resorted to “mild” tear gas shelling the students and baton-charged them to disperse them.

The officer said that after dispersing the students, SP Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi, the education department’s secretary for colleges Aleem Lashari and other officials arrived at the spot and engaged the college administration in negotiations to vacate the premises. The administration of the college was given an additional two days to vacate the complex.