Convincing the provincial government to pass a law for the restoration of student unions has been a long and arduous journey for students and activists. For many years, student activists had held protests and pressed the authorities but to no avail.

In recent past, they went for alliances to exert pressure on the government to table a bill in the provincial assembly. In 2016, eight student organisations in Sindh formed an alliance under the banner of MutahidaTalabaMahaz that demanded restoration of student unions.

The alliance included the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT), the Pukhtoon Students Federation (PukSF), the People’s Students Federation (PSF), the Insaf Students Federation. The alliance failed to achieve its goal was eventually dissolved.

In 2018, 14 left-leaning student organisations formed an action committee, which approached lawmakers and demanded the restoration of student unions. The committee was later named Karachi Students Alliance. By then, three of the student organisations, including the IJT and the PSF, had left the alliance.

On December 9, 2019, the Sindh cabinet approved the proposal for a legislation for restoration of student unions at institutions of higher learning. After around two years, the bill was finally adopted by the provincial assembly.

The bill envisages student unions as bodies that work to ensure students’ success by offering “a variety of programmes, activities, services and facilities that, when taken together, represent a well-considered plan for the development of community at university/ college level.”

It reads, “…the student unions will ensure democratic and inclusive atmosphere for healthy debate that respects other people’s opinions. They will also assist the educational institutions in maintaining the discipline.”

The bill states that student unions must not act in a manner that shows disrespect to teachers or college/ university employees.

Once restored, a student union will consist of seven elected members. At least one member of the union will represent the students in the senate, syndicate, board, academic council and anti-harassment committee of the varsity. Elections to the unions will be conducted yearly.

“The unions will have a right to oppose and bring to light any discrimination or injustice that obstructs the social and academic life of students,” the bill reads.

A countrywide ban was placed on student unions by the military dictator Zia-ul-Haq in 1984. Since then, student organisations have been struggling for the restoration of student unions at the varsities. By adopting the bill, Sindh has taken the lead in meeting a longstanding demand of the students.

“…each educational institution shall within two months of the passage of this Act, formulate regulations and procedures for the conduct of the student union,” the bill reads. Many are sceptical about this happening within the stipulated time.

Commenting on the bill, Sindh’s minister for universities, Ismail Rahoo, says that the decision to revive student unions will improve the democratic image of Pakistan across the globe. He says these unions are considered nurseries for democracy.

He says the unions will enable the varsity students to have representation in the decision-making bodies such as the senate as well as the syndicate and academic councils where they will be able to raise their legitimate concerns.

According to Rahoo, students aspiring to lead the union will need votes to get elected. To this end, they will have to ensure good reputations.

The minister says that all of Sindh’s educational institutions should constitute committees to frame rules for the restoration of student unions as soon as possible.

“The process of student union formation will start soon in universities across Sindh,” he says. He stresses the need for provincial governments across Pakistan to pass similar bills for the restoration of student unions.Representatives of the provincial government have also dismissed the impression that it will take a long time to enforce the law.

Academics and student leaders have largely welcomed the decision taken by the Sindh government to revive student unions. However, many are still concerned about the implementation of the Sindh Student Union Bill 2019 recently passed by the Sindh Assembly. The concern, they say, stems from the reality that the provincial government has frequently passed good laws in the past but failed to enforce them.

Veteran journalist, Prof Dr Tauseef Ahmed Khan, the dean of Social Sciences at Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), Dr Riaz Ahmed Shaikh and Dr Irfan Aziz of the Urdu university have all hailed the passing of the bill for the restoration of student unions in Sindh. However, they say its implementation alone will reveal whether the Sindh government is sincere about wanting to restore the student unions.

Dr Khan says the PPP-led provincial assembly has passed several progressive bills, but after many years, rules and bylaws for those bills have yet to be framed. This is why student bodies and academics are not very optimistic about the execution of the Sindh Student Union Bill 2019.

Dr Shaikh, who has written a book about student unions, says that the students should now put pressure on the government to implement the law. He also advises the students not to engage in violent activities as that could provide an excuse to the government and the powers that be to defer the implementation of the law.

According to him, managers of some elite educational institutes are openly opposing student unions. They may not allow them. He adds that it is for the government to ensure that the law is implemented at all educational institutes.

Dr Aziz is of the view that the student unions will be restored in colleges and universities within two months. It seems however, he says, that only a few universities and colleges will be able to constitute committees to frame rules and bylaws under the Act. “In the coming weeks, the compliance reports, if collected, will make clear how many varsities and colleges are interested in restoring student unions,” he says.

All the student organisations seem to have welcomed the passage of the bill.

“We have some reservations on the bill but essentially it was a good decision,” says Progressive Student Federation (PrSF) Karachi president Waqas Alam Angaria. He says, however, that election schedules for the unions should not be announced until the government has addressed the concerns of all stakeholders.

“As a founding organisation of the Karachi Students Alliance, Puk-SF welcomes the bill,” says Puk-SF Sindh president Rehman Babar. “The alliance is closely monitoring the situation at varsities and colleges. If the student unions are not resorted, we alliance will take to the streets

Peoples Students Federation (PSF) Karachi president Madni Raza is of the view that other provinces should also follow the Sindh government’s lead in this regard. IJT spokesperson Usama Aqil says the organisation has welcomed the Sindh government’s decision. “We hope that the student unions will be revived in true spirit and the educational institutions will draft rules and regulations in the mandated time.”

The writer is based in Karachi and reports on education