Debate on formation of students unions

A debate is currently raging in media and universities regarding restoration of student unions. Some people are in favor of lifting a ban imposed after a Supreme Court decision in 1993; however, those who are against restoration of unions, argue that giving the students groups a legal cover will be a serious disaster. They believe that in case unions are restored the next demand will be membership in Syndicate. The teachers will use students for their agenda as in the past and teacher-student relationship already damaged due to semester system may collapse further. Student politics as a pressure group to take undue advantage from the administration is also a serious issue. There have been voices in favor and against formation of students unions; however many academics are worried because student unions affiliated with political parties will be at loggerheads, and pollute the atmosphere.
Having failed in mustering support from broad masses, anti-Pakistan forces are looking for new ways to create chaos and confusion in the country. After repeated kinetic, ideological and financial attacks on Pakistan orchestrated through some political leaders, sold out media men and shady activists, the new scenario is emerging in the name of Students Solidarity March or Campaign, which has triggered a country-wide debate. A video captured at the Faiz festival organized by the Students Collective in Lahore had gone viral in which dozens of students can be seen reciting the poems of revolutionary poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz, and sloganeering passionately against the state of governance in the country. It has already gained support from sections of the Pakistani leftists that were dormant after disintegration of Soviet Union. The left party, Awami Workers Party (AWP), was the latest to express its support to the organizers.
Special mention is being made to sexual harassment and blackmail in Balochistan where security forces are being accused of abusing their position to use surveillance and heavy-handed policing to curb the students movement, which is not true. The AWP demanded the “de-securitization of campus spaces in Sindh and Balochistan where Security Forces have been stationed to control student activities. They also demanded release of all students arrested for organizing protests in Balochistan and Sindh and the sedition charges against students of the Jamshoro University for demanding clean water should also be revoked. One can see that very cleverly issues of students and education system are being linked to security apparatus in an attempt to release pressure on anarchists in Balochistan and Sind. This appears to be another attack on Pakistan in 5th generation warfare spectrum. The nefarious designs are well disguised to gain sympathies of students country-wide.
Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed the government’s willingness to allow the restoration of student unions subject to the establishment of a “comprehensive and enforceable code of conduct”. This announcement came two days after students, activists and supporters across Pakistan came out to join the Student Solidarity March, led by the Student Action Committee (SAC), to present a charter of demands. The march demanded restoration of budget for the Higher Education Commission, end to the layoff of academics, allocation of five percent of the GDP for education, and withdrawal of the recent fee hike. Referring to the student unions of the past, the prime minister said that they had become violent battlegrounds and completely destroyed the intellectual atmosphere on campuses. He clarified that unions will be restored but after preparing the code of conduct.
The premier added that a comprehensive and enforceable conduct based on the best practices in internationally renowned universities will be developed so that their restoration can be made possible. In view of bitter experiences of the student unions, none of the major political parties had mentioned about the formation of students in the educational institutions. The current government came into power with a youth-centered agenda, and doing its best to revamp the education system to make it useful to the students in their practical lives. Anyhow, anti-Pakistan forces will not be allowed to use the students to advance their agenda of destabilizing Pakistan through machinations.