Sindh Assembly rejects resolution calling for early student union polls

Through a majority vote, the Provincial Assembly of Sindh on Tuesday rejected a resolution in favour of immediately conducting elections of student unions at colleges and universities of the province.

The private resolution had been moved by Jamaat-e-Islami MPA Muhammad Farooq. Majority of the legislators opposed the resolution after Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar termed the move unnecessary.

Farooq said that the democratic rights of students at colleges and universities should be recognised and honoured by the government. He said elections of student unions to be established at educational institutions should be conducted at the earliest as per the constitution.

Lanjar said that the election manifesto of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also stands for conducting elections of student unions, and the provincial government has the same standpoint.

He said he opposes the resolution because steps are being taken to fulfil the demands contained in it. He termed the resolution unwarranted because the House has already lifted the ban on student unions in the province.

Farooq termed the rejection of his private resolution highly sorrowful. He lamented that three years have passed since the PA passed the law to restore student unions in the province, but the polls for these unions are yet to be conducted.

He said the ruling party, which champions the cause of democracy in the country, should not favour an unconstitutional move imposed during the past dictatorial regime in the country. He also said that such an act on the part of the provincial government is shameful. Later, talking to the media, he and other opposition lawmakers threatened to lay siege to the PA building against the rejection of the resolution.

Meanwhile, the House passed a resolution calling upon the federal government to expeditiously release funds for the early completion of the federally funded development schemes in Sindh.

The private resolution was moved by PPP legislator Heer Ismail Soho. Lanjar favoured the resolution and called upon the Centre to upgrade and build the network of motorways and inter-city highways in the province.

He recalled that Sindh’s chief minister had written to the Centre in this regard. He said the motorway connectivity between Sukkur and Hyderabad should be built by the Centre at the earliest.

He said the passage of the resolution by the PA is necessary to let the Centre realise the urgent need for funding for the completion of the ongoing mega uplift schemes. He opined that Sindh’s development has been hampered due to the apathy shown by the Centre.