Baloch students at the Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad were reportedly injured in clashes on Monday that involved other students and outsiders. Groups of students fought with sticks and machetes. Dozens of Baloch students had to be admitted to the hospital, some with life threatening injuries.
https://twitter.com/BalochistanPost/status/1630285521015435265
The university has been closed for an indefinite period of time. Social media updates say that even university teachers were assaulted in the violence.
#Islamabad:#Terrorist attack on #Baloch students at #QAU. A lynch mob of 1000 extremists led by masked #ISI thugs attacked & critically injured 40 Baloch students in Islamabad, Pakistan. Strongly condemn criminal violence against Baloch.@a_siab @ManzoorPashteen @sakhtarmengal pic.twitter.com/hFeEuzQ1Ny
— Zaffar Baloch (@ZaffarBaloch) February 28, 2023
With fresh clashes taking place on Tuesday morning, the government decided to deploy Rangers and police personnel inside the university campus. Social media handles report that people from other cities arrived on the campus to fan the violence.
Baloch nationalist organisations have started a fund-raising drive to provide treatment to the seriously injured students.
Several students were injured as two student groups clashed at Quaid-e-Azam University (#QAU) in #Islamabad on Monday. According to the QAU administration, Quaid-e-Azam University is now closed till further orders. pic.twitter.com/jKYDjDWibK
— Islamabad Updates (@IslamabadViews) February 27, 2023
Meanwhile, in other cases of tension in Pakistan’s capital city, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a radical Islamist party, organised a protest in Islamabad against spiralling inflation and skyrocketing prices. It has also asked the government to provide relief to the people from inflation.
Scene of strike and protest called by #TehreekLabbaikPakistan (TLP) at Lahtrar Road, Main Tramri Chowk, islamabad pakistan
TLP is protesting against the increased fuel price and skyrocketing inflation pic.twitter.com/OcBrnbHJN8
— Mirza (@Mirza45994191) February 27, 2023
The TLP protest reportedly choked the roads leading to Islamabad. Videos show patrolling by unknown people on bikes in the capital city to ensure that shops were closed in conformity with the TLP protest against the government.
https://twitter.com/TLPOffi/status/1630168499040534531
Besides capital Islamabad, the TLP protest against inflation witnessed closed markets as well as shut petrol pumps in most cities of Pakistan. The party that was formed as recently as 2015 enjoys a mass base among the Pakistani society for its support for blasphemy laws. The TLP gained clout and prominence during former prime minister Imran Khan’s time as the leader, and seeks Sharia laws for Pakistan.
