Signature campaign: In support of restoring student unions

LAHORE:

A campaign to restore student unions is underway in Lahore ahead of the general elections.

The campaign, initiated by the National Students’ Federation this February, has so far obtained nearly 2,000 signatures.

Elected student unions were banned in 1984. In 2008, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani announced that he would lift the ban.

NSF’s Punjab president Mohammad Irfan Chaudhry said discussions to revive student unions began soon after.

“Gen Zia imposed this ridiculous ban on educational campuses citing violence as one of the reasons,” said Chaudhry.

A 2008 discussion paper, Revival of Students’ Unions in Pakistan, prepared by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) states that in 1984, it was believed that the ban was prompted by reports of anti-government student organisations gaining strength. The paper states that the government feared a students’ movement, similar to the one that led to the ouster of President Ayub Khan in 1969.

Chaudhry, a University of Engineering and Technology student says regrettably, the government had failed to fulfill its promise.

He said, under the signature campaign, was engaging students at various educational institutes.

So far the organisers have visited the Government College University, the Punjab University and the Forman Christian College University.

Chaudhry says student organisations mostly affiliated with various political parties, were not unions.

He said, “Student unions are elected bodies in educational institutions working on student related issues.

According to a 2008 national survey on students’ politics by BARGAD, 69 per cent of students were in favour of lifting the ban on student unions.

Iqbal Haider Butt of BARGAD said the survey was taken in 23 public sector universities across Pakistan. Almost 72 per cent students said student organisations should not be allowed affiliations with political parties. More than 77 per cent students said it was important that university administrations impose strict regulations to avoid violence on campuses. The campaign has also faced resistance.

“The first thing they [students] asked was who was behind us and what political party we supported,” said Abdur Rehman, a mass communication student at the Punjab University.

Rehman does not hide his affiliation with the NSF. He says students were still sceptical of the campaign.

“The purpose of the campaign is to engage in a dialogue with pluralistic and progressive student organisations which can work towards the restoration of student unions,” he said.

The campaigners say they are wary of student wings of political parties.

Muhammad Shahzad, a student of the Lahore Law College, said certain student organisations seemed to have a popular hold on campuses just because of their willingness to resolve to violence.

“There are a large number of students not affiliated with politically motivated student organisations…that is what we want to capitalise on.” said Chaudhry.

The signatures campaign is to continue till the next elected government takes power at which point the campaigners plan to take the matter to the Supreme Court.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2013.