Saturday, 23rd November 2024

Revival of people's politics in Pakistan;Students demand restoration of Student unions

Students clothed in black with red themes held placards and roared slogans demanding the revival of student unions and end sexual harassment in university campuses of Pakistan.

Wednesday, 4th December 2019

Students clothed in black with red themes held placards and roared slogans demanding the revival of student unions and end sexual harassment in university campuses of Pakistan.

Not less than 50 locations the Students Solidarity March took place on November 29, reached in the wake of a 37 per cent cut to the country's more eminent education progressive budget in June.

In 1984, when, weakened by the growing student opposition to his regime, military dictator Zia ul-Haq outlawed student unions across the country. This ban has completely forbidden political activity on campuses and created a culture of silence from more than 30 years.

Many of those who imagined of November's march has been disappointed by the similar issues - the absence of protocols for dealing with harassment, the ban on student unions, fee hikes and disappointment with the quality of education on offer - for years.

But they banded collectively in 2016 to create the Progressive Students Collective in Lahore. Today it is just one of many episodes of progressive student organisations around the country.

His fears, it seems, were not unfounded.

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