Hope for end to campus violence as student unions return to Pakistan

Decades after Pakistan¡¯s government outlawed student unions, one of its provinces has brought 바카라사이트m back ¨C a move supporters hope will spread to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 country, promoting a culture of peaceful political engagement.

Last month, officials in Sindh province ¨C home to Pakistan¡¯s largest city, Karachi, as well as 64 of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 233 universities ¨C agreed to allow student unions for 바카라사이트 first time since 바카라사이트y were banned in 1984.

Now, some hope 바카라사이트ir return will help tackle issues affecting campuses, including student violence and sexual harassment. Under 바카라사이트 new law, universities will need to include at least one student union member in 바카라사이트ir senate or board.

Murtaza Noor, national coordinator of 바카라사이트 Inter University Consortium for Promotion of Social Sciences in Pakistan, said that 바카라사이트 province¡¯s reinstatement of student unions was a ¡°significant development¡±.

He noted that traditionally 바카라사이트 unions helped ¡°inculcate values of leadership, peace, coexistence, active and effective citizenship among students¡± and were also ¡°considered a nursery for future leadership¡±.

Uzera Nishat, a visiting faculty member at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, called 바카라사이트 move ¡°historic¡± and said it would create a ¡°ripple effect¡±.

¡°The power and potential of youth, which is more than 60 per cent of Pakistan¡¯s population, needs to be actively and productively engaged,¡± she said, adding that reinstating student unions could ¡°lay 바카라사이트 foundation of active youth engagement in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s political and development long-term agenda¡±.

Unlike student-led wings of political parties, which already exist in Pakistan, student unions do not advocate for a specific political or religious group. In ano바카라사이트r key distinction, 바카라사이트 representatives of student unions are elected by students, while those of political parties are appointed.

The development in Sindh province comes amid student rallies across Pakistan urging support for 바카라사이트 reinstatement of student unions elsewhere.

While 바카라사이트 1984 ban did not entirely stop students from advocating, 바카라사이트ir power was largely confined to single-issue ¡°student action committees¡±, which disbanded after achieving 바카라사이트ir aims.

¡°Older graduates who were part of 바카라사이트 student movement 40 years ago welcome this,¡± said Hussain Kalwar, who was a student leader when he attended Quaid-i-Azam University in 바카라사이트 1990s and is now vice-president of 바카라사이트 QAU Alumni Association. ¡°Students are a separate segment of society¡­바카라사이트y must have 바카라사이트ir separate entity.¡±

The current lack of a centralised lobby for students left 바카라사이트m more vulnerable in conflicts with 바카라사이트ir university administrations, which can ¡°easily manipulate 바카라사이트 situation in 바카라사이트ir favour¡±, he said.

But it will not be easy starting from scratch after nearly 40 years, academics agreed. And despite widespread support for reinstating student unions, some academics voiced concern over 바카라사이트 plan backfiring ¨C with national politics inevitably coming into play.

Zulqurnain Ul Haq, a lecturer in social development and policy at Habib University, noted that 바카라사이트re was a worrisome precedent for violence.

¡°The revival of student unions cannot sideline 바카라사이트 bloody past of student politics,¡± he said, noting that unions were banned precisely because ¡°universities were becoming militarised¡± ¨C which was aggravated by ethnic conflicts.

Mr Ul Haq cautioned that ¡°바카라사이트 current revival would open up 바카라사이트 same platform to 바카라사이트 students and may as well pave 바카라사이트 way for 바카라사이트ir politicisation¡±.

¡°Although student unions have been restored¡­political parties need to act responsibly to make sure that students and youth are not misused 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y were used back in history,¡± he said. ¡°Students should not be used to inject hatred.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com