In protest against imposing 7.5 percent VAT on tuition fees of private university students, students of East West University (EWU) announced to take the street on September 10, 2015.
They said they would assemble at the university premises at 9:30 am on September 10, 2015 demanding withdrawal of 7.5 percent VAT on their tuition fees. Students of several private universities have also expressed solidarity with the movement.
They said they would assemble at the university premises at 9:30 am on September 10, 2015 demanding withdrawal of 7.5 percent VAT on their tuition fees. Students of several private universities have also expressed solidarity with the movement.
Demanding withdrawal of 7.5 percent VAT on tuition fees, EWU students staged demonstration on September 09, 2015 (Wednesday), blocking the entry to Aftab Nagar at Rampura. Vehicular movement on Rampura-Kuril road in the city almost came to a halt for several hours, causing acute traffic congestion.
Witnesses said the EWU students took to the street in front of their university near Rampura Bridge around 2:00 pm protesting the government's move to impose 7.5 percent VAT on the tuition fees of the private universities.
On information, police rushed in and tried to disperse them, said Abdul Jalil, officer-in-charge of Badda Police Station. At one stage, the students pelted stones and brickbats at the law enforcers, triggering a chase and counter-chase. Later, police charged baton and opened fire on the students to disperse them, leaving 10-15 injured. Of the injured, some students and a teacher were taken to local hospitals.
Traffic on Rampura-Kuril road was disrupted again around 4:40 pm as the protesting students brought out possessions on the road in front of the main gate of the university in Aftabnagar.
Witnesses said the students chanted slogans blocking the road in favor of their demand and stayed there till 9:30 pm. On July 4, the NBR issued a notification imposing 7.5 percent VAT on the tuition fees of private universities and medical colleges.
