Students seek restoration of unions in K-P
Info minister voices support but says past incidents gave the forum a bad name
Students of different institutions of Peshawar participate in a protest during ‘Student Solidarity March’ calling for lifting of the ban on student unions in the country. PHOTO: ONLINE
PESHAWAR:
Students in different higher education institutions across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) staged protests, demanding an end to harassment of students, lifting the ban imposed on student unions, high fees and other issues.
Meanwhile, in a video message, the provincial government’s top spokesperson voiced support for student unions.
In University of Peshawar (UoP), one of the oldest higher education institutions in the province, the Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) — a student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) —staged a protest. They demanded that the government lift the ban on student unions in educational institutions across the province.
IJT’s Nazim in the varsity, Awal Sheer Khan told students that even though three democratic governments have transitioned peacefully into and out of power over the past decade, the educational institutions remain bereft of its most basic unit — students unions.
He added that students unions had been banned during the era of the dictator General Ziaul Haq. But 25 years after his passing, the democratic governments have been unable to lift that ban, Awal said.
He claimed that the IJT and its members have decided to start agitating on the matter and that soon they will give practical shape to their planned protests.
A similar stance was adopted by the Peoples Student Federation (PSF) President Riaz Yousafzai and the Pakhtoon Students Federation President Waseem Jabbar Khattak.
They condemned the government for failing to lift the ban on students unions.
They added that the world over, students union work as a nursery for students. Even in Pakistan, they claimed that some of the most successful politicians were products of students unions.
They echoed the demands of the IJT, warning of agitation if the ban on unions was not lifted.
Separately, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry in a message on microblogging site Twitter said that the ban on students union is against the principles of democracy and threw his weight behind students union in education institutions.
Further support
With protests reports from across the province, K-P Information Minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai in a video statement on Friday expressed his support for student unions.
Yousafzai recalled the active part he played in unions when he was a student. He added that the unions helped them polish their hidden abilities which enabled him to become a politician.
The information minister, though, conceded that currently, the incumbent government harbours no plan to restore student unions either in the province or in the country.
“In the past, some bad things happened in educational institutions because of the union but it is also a fact that student unions are important and cannot be ignored,” he added.
Student boycott
As students protested across the province for their demands, students in the Nowshera Medical College continued a boycott.
Now into its third day, the students have been boycotting their classes to protest against alleged blackmailing and harassment of female students.
The students said that a video of a female student had been made and later it was uploaded on to social media by some class-IV employees of the college. When the students protested against this, another video was made in which the protesters were harassed.
On Friday, when some of the protesting students confronted Professor Dr Shah Nawaz as he arrived in the college in his vehicle, he allegedly struck and injured one student, and then rushed to his office
A student, who did not wish to be named for fear of retribution, alleged that Prof Nawaz threatened the students who stood had blocked the way for his vehicle, demanding action to be taken against the college employees responsible.
The students further demanded that the K-P government, K-P governor and the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) federal leadership take strict action against the officials involved in the harassment of students. They also urged the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court to take action on the issue.
Meanwhile, Nowshera Medical College Dean Dr Jahangir categorically denied the allegations of harassment levelled by some students. He claimed that some students were violating the discipline of the college and were ‘spoiling’ the atmosphere which is affecting the studies of other students.
Dr Jahangir also denied charges of harassment.
WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING FROM JEHANZEB KHATTAK IN NOWSHERA
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2019.
Students in different higher education institutions across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) staged protests, demanding an end to harassment of students, lifting the ban imposed on student unions, high fees and other issues.
Meanwhile, in a video message, the provincial government’s top spokesperson voiced support for student unions.
In University of Peshawar (UoP), one of the oldest higher education institutions in the province, the Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) — a student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) —staged a protest. They demanded that the government lift the ban on student unions in educational institutions across the province.
IJT’s Nazim in the varsity, Awal Sheer Khan told students that even though three democratic governments have transitioned peacefully into and out of power over the past decade, the educational institutions remain bereft of its most basic unit — students unions.
He added that students unions had been banned during the era of the dictator General Ziaul Haq. But 25 years after his passing, the democratic governments have been unable to lift that ban, Awal said.
He claimed that the IJT and its members have decided to start agitating on the matter and that soon they will give practical shape to their planned protests.
A similar stance was adopted by the Peoples Student Federation (PSF) President Riaz Yousafzai and the Pakhtoon Students Federation President Waseem Jabbar Khattak.
They condemned the government for failing to lift the ban on students unions.
They added that the world over, students union work as a nursery for students. Even in Pakistan, they claimed that some of the most successful politicians were products of students unions.
They echoed the demands of the IJT, warning of agitation if the ban on unions was not lifted.
Separately, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry in a message on microblogging site Twitter said that the ban on students union is against the principles of democracy and threw his weight behind students union in education institutions.
Further support
With protests reports from across the province, K-P Information Minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai in a video statement on Friday expressed his support for student unions.
Yousafzai recalled the active part he played in unions when he was a student. He added that the unions helped them polish their hidden abilities which enabled him to become a politician.
The information minister, though, conceded that currently, the incumbent government harbours no plan to restore student unions either in the province or in the country.
“In the past, some bad things happened in educational institutions because of the union but it is also a fact that student unions are important and cannot be ignored,” he added.
Student boycott
As students protested across the province for their demands, students in the Nowshera Medical College continued a boycott.
Now into its third day, the students have been boycotting their classes to protest against alleged blackmailing and harassment of female students.
The students said that a video of a female student had been made and later it was uploaded on to social media by some class-IV employees of the college. When the students protested against this, another video was made in which the protesters were harassed.
On Friday, when some of the protesting students confronted Professor Dr Shah Nawaz as he arrived in the college in his vehicle, he allegedly struck and injured one student, and then rushed to his office
A student, who did not wish to be named for fear of retribution, alleged that Prof Nawaz threatened the students who stood had blocked the way for his vehicle, demanding action to be taken against the college employees responsible.
The students further demanded that the K-P government, K-P governor and the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) federal leadership take strict action against the officials involved in the harassment of students. They also urged the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court to take action on the issue.
Meanwhile, Nowshera Medical College Dean Dr Jahangir categorically denied the allegations of harassment levelled by some students. He claimed that some students were violating the discipline of the college and were ‘spoiling’ the atmosphere which is affecting the studies of other students.
Dr Jahangir also denied charges of harassment.
WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING FROM JEHANZEB KHATTAK IN NOWSHERA
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2019.