‘Revive student unions at all educational institutes’

Teachers, students and civil society activists attended a consultative meeting held at the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) on Tuesday to discuss what recommendations should be submitted to the Sindh government which has sought suggestions from the stakeholders on the legislation for the revival of the student unions.

In the meeting, organized by university’s department of social sciences, it was demanded that student unions should also be allowed at private educational institutes, including varsities, colleges and coaching centres.

Dr Syed Haroon Ahmed, physiatrist and former student activist, said the stakeholders should present their recommendations before the provincial government, putting aside their reservation on the Sindh Students Union Bill 2019.

Asad Butt of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan seconded Dr Ahmed and commented that the activity should be resumed from where it was stopped – referring to the state of affairs of the unions before the General Ziaul Haq banned them.

However, rights activist Anis Haroon differed from the two and said that “no compromise” should be made over the student unions “because the government knows the importance of youths which are the largest segment in the population”.

She and other senior activists did not support the suggestion of allowing unions at coaching centres for they believed that the students of such age were not mature enough to understand the dynamics and the role of a union.

Dr Tipu Sultan of the Malir University of Science and Technology said his university was the first private institute in the province to hold a student unions election. He encouraged his fellows at other varsities to do the same.

Student activist Daniyal Ghallo said it was high time that the powers should let youth involve in political discourse at varsities and colleges.

The Sindh cabinet has recently approved the draft bill, presented by law adviser Murtaza Wahab, to activate and regulate the student unions. The provincial government announced lifting up the ban on unions following the Students Solidarity March on November 29.