Preferring violence to dialogue

On September 30, a primary school for boys was razed to the ground in Arandu Gol area of Chitral by a militant group

Recent attacks on educational institutions in the country-- including the one on September 30 when a primary school for boys was razed to the ground in Arandu Gol area of Chitral by a militant group — have proven that children are not even safe in schools. While the law enforcement agencies try to effectively grapple with the situation, it is unfortunate to note that students are not only vulnerable to attacks that are carried out by militants but also those from the very people who are appointed to protect them — the police.

On October 4, at least seven students were brutally injured on the premises of the University of Peshawar when police constables baton charged them, in an attempt to disperse the protesting crowd. On the call of the United Student’s Alliance, students had staged a peaceful protest against the newly imposed fee structure, which they claim would hike the fees by 400 per cent. Though the university administration rejected the claims of the alleged fee hike, it imposed Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code and called in the police to disperse the students.

Whether the varsity under question had in fact increased its fee by 400 per cent as claimed by the students or to a mere 10 per cent as stated by its media official, is yet to be known. But the use of force to disperse a peaceful protest is condemnable.

Use of force instead of dialogue only goes on to show how we treat our increasing and increasingly disaffected, young population. Students just like any other entity in the country have a right to hold a peaceful protest. Choosing to use violence instead of placating students and addressing their concerns only adds to their deep sense of alienation, widening the gap between them and the administration. Students deserve to be treated as respectable young adults rather than as criminals.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2018.

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