A number of students and activists led by the Progressive Students Federation (PRSF) on Saturday gathered here in front of national press club to mark second death anniversary in honour of Mashal Khan.
The participants called for the immediate restoration of student unions, elimination of all forms of discrimination on campus, and secularising the curriculum to counter the spread of hateful ideologies in schools, colleges and universities throughout the country. The marchers also condemned Friday’s attacks in Quetta and Chaman that targeted the Hazara community.
Democratisation through restoration of student unions demanded to counter rising extremism on campuses
Speakers at the event recalled the tragic and distressing manner in which Mashal had been silenced by a mob on completely false and concocted accusations. The extremist ideologies nurtured by the state to further its own interests, were fundamentally altering our society as evident in sectarian acts of terror against minorities including the Friday’s attacks on the Hazara community.
The march also prominently featured members of a political party, students from Quaid-i-Azam University, National Institute of Science and Technology, International Islamic University, and Comsats, as well as various civil society activists.
PRSF’s Aunil Muntazir addressed the marchers by stating that it was most unfortunate that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had supposedly come to power through its overwhelming support amongst the youth, a segment which constitutes 65% of the country’s population, but was unwilling to take any policy steps to address their problems. “Friday’s newspaper had a report that the government is expected to cut HEC’s budgetary grant to Rs. 59 billion against a demand of Rs. 103 billion, which will devastate the already overstretched capacities of the 117 public sector universities in this country. Furthermore, it seems as if the government’s austerity measures will impact every sector and department apart from our already unsustainable defence expenditures which will be increased”. Aunil also called on the government to immediately reverse its decision to initiate fee hikes in universities.