Tensions flared at Punjab University (PU) on Wednesday as a student protest escalated into clashes with security forces, causing significant disruption to the surrounding area.
The demonstration, organized by the student body Jamiat, saw protesters block main roads outside the campus after university guards and police attempted to halt their rally. The road closures led to massive traffic gridlock, with commuters—including office workers and students—stranded for hours on the key Campus Bridge of Canal Road. The congestion critically delayed ambulances, exacerbating the situation for the public.
Protesters were heard chanting slogans against the university administration and law enforcement agencies. According to a Jamiat spokesperson, the rally was held to demand the release of arrested members and the reinstatement of expelled students.
The university administration offered a starkly different account. A Punjab University spokesman stated that the expelled students were involved in various criminal activities and that their stay orders had been dismissed by the courts. He credited the current administration with curbing the group’s “extortion and other unlawful activities,” including the cessation of perks like free canteen meals and the ability to rent out hostel rooms.
Related: PU ASA Raises Alarm Over Town-3 Scam
The spokesman further alleged that “suspicious outsiders” had participated in the rally and dismissed the protesters’ demands as “baseless,” holding the student organization solely responsible for the disruption and suffering inflicted on ordinary citizens.