Daily Times

The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Wednesday principally approved the restoration of students unions to promote peace at educational institutions and to eliminate the regional ethnicity of the country’s educational institutions.

In this regard Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi moved a bill titled the Islamabad capital Territory Students Unions Bill, 2023 which was referred from the Senate in its session held July, 2023 for detailed deliberations.

The lawmakers discussed that ban of student unions in the past resulted in distorting law and order at educational institutions in the country, adding that the move also caused religious and regional ethnicities among the students.

Military ruler Zia-ul-Haq had slapped a blanket ban on students’ unions in 1984. Before the ban, there were several student unionists who rose to prominence in politics and some of them are now ministers or have positions in their respective parties.

Citing the example of recent administrative mess at Islamia University Bahawalpur, Senator Tangi recalled that if there were student unions such shameful acts would have been out of question.

“The Union representatives can play a mediation role between educational institution administration and students in case their students’ colleagues face any kind of problem at the campus. This will create campus peace ultimately,” he explained.

Senator Tangi also said that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) tried to make hurdles in passage of such a law that’s quite regrettable. “The HEC deliberately tried to stop the restoration of the students unions act but our commitment made them because it was a public service cause” he maintained.

Committee Chair Irfan-ul-Haq Siddiqui suggested that some rules should be determined in this regard, adding that these unions should be across the board instead of some specific group or mainstream political parties.

Acting Executive Director (ED) HEC Awais Ahmed suggested that some comprehensive mechanism is required for this purpose. “There should be elected bodies in the unions that are selected through proper elections. The major purpose of an educational institution is to spread education and to promote research studies,” he said, adding that the fundamental purpose of these institutions should not be compromised at any cost.

In the statement of objects and reasons for moving the bill, senator Tangi said that constructive activities in the educational institutions are necessary ingredients for establishing a true democratic and vigilant society in a country. “Students unions are nurseries for training future leadership which provides forum to students for constructive activities, civic life, understanding rights, obligations and their enforcements,” he elaborated.

Recalling the history, Senator Tangi said that student unions had played a very important role in the movement for Pakistan. After independence of Pakistan in 1947, students unions worked and played their role for upholding the rule of law and democratic principles in the country. However, he regretted that, due to banning these nurseries or training, future leadership remained missing for almost four decades. According to him, this failure resulted in impairing grass root level training of the country’s leadership. He suggested that In order to establish the true democratic and vigilant leadership it is necessary to revive establishment and regulate the students unions in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

Majority of the senators endorsed the remarks and objects of the bill presented by Senator Tangi. They unanimously decided to let the bill go for approval principally. “We are keeping copies of the bill with us to thoroughly read it. In case any senator has reservation, he/she would inform the chair accordingly. Till that time the committee recommends the principle approval of the bill,” committee chairman Senator Siddiqui announced.