'Can Understand Their Pain As It Happens In Pakistan Too': Karachi Students On JNU Violence

According to media reports, scores of students in Lahore held a protest demonstration outside Karachi press club on Wednesday to extend their support to the students and professors attacked in JNU violence.

Students of St Joseph College of Commerce display placards during a protest against the attack and violence in JNU campus , in Bengaluru. (Image: PTI)

Karachi: Following the attack on students of Jawaharlala Nehru University (JNU) by a masked mob on January 5, India has witnessed a widespread protests from students, citizens and celebrities from across the nation. Not just in India, but even across the border in Pakistan, the issue has irked students and voices are emerging to show solidarity with the victim of the violence. According to media reports, scores of students in Pakistan's Karachi held a protest demonstration outside Karachi press club on Wednesday to extend their support to the students and professors attacked in JNU violence. The protesters, including students and rights activists in Karachi, also questioned the alleged police action against those who were agitating against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), last month. Student held placard that read: "Qadam Barhao JNU Hum Tumhare Sath Hai [Step forward JNU, we are with you]." Image of the protest was shared by a Pakistani journalist Zia Ur Rehman on Twitter with a caption: "Students in Karachi come out to show solidarity with students and teachers of JNU. photo via @thenews_intl."

Students in Karachi come out to show solidarity with students and teachers of JNU. photo via @thenews_intl pic.twitter.com/JIZ06JcFlV

— Zia Ur Rehman (@zalmayzia) January 9, 2020

On Sunday, several masked individuals thrashed students and teachers inside the JNU campus in New Delhi with wooden and metal rods. A number of students were admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) with severe injuries. The leaders from across the political spectrum in India have condemned the attack on the students. "We strictly condemn this kind of violence against students by India. We feel the pain of these students and can identify with them as such kind of violence is also used against students here in Pakistan," Dawn quoted an Inter University Feminist Union (IUFU) student as saying. Along with solidarity with JNU, posters at the Lahore press club also mentioned police crackdowns in other Indian Universities including Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University. Post the JNU violence, several Bollywood personalities, politicians, activists and citizens have come out on the streets across the country and held peaceful protests against the attack on students inside the University campus. Protesters included Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu, Zoya Akhtar, Vishal Bhardwaj, Hansal Mehta, Anubhav Sinha, Richa Chadha, Rahul Bose, Swanand Kirkire, Reema Kagti, Dia Mirza, Sayani Gupta, Gauahar Khan, Saurabh Shukla and stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra. The Delhi Police, earlier this week, had registered an FIR in connection with the violence at the campus. The case of arson and assault has been filed against the unknown miscreants. Also, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday directed Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to call the representatives from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and hold talks.