Daily Times

In the wake of the past week, a new ideology that had been crumbled under the weight of dictatorial democracy and autocracy was witnessed to have been resurrected and swept across the entire nation like wildfire. The chain of events that led to the popular nationwide Student Solidarity March began to unfold when a group of students from a Lahore based university raised their voice and wrapped their demands in the beautiful rendition of Bismil Azimabadi, popularly known as “Sarfaroshi”. The zeal and zest of the students reciting the patriotic masterpiece ignited the emotions of students all over Pakistan, and thus began a new wave that has not been witnessed in the country for decades.

Student Solidarity March, which initiated in Lahore, didn’t just remain confined to the city of gardens, but students from major cities and universities connected with the cause and landed their unprecedented support in eradicating the bubble of dictatorship that has been governing the country’s education sector for decades. One of the most popular demands that erupted from this student solidarity march was the reinstation of student unions. The concept of student unions, that originated during the 1950s, provided a unique platform for students to raise their concerns regarding administrative and financial policies that operated higher secondary and professional educational institutions. These unions, which gain unparalleled popularity, were the front-runners in restoring the country’s democratic right by compelling the then-dictator General Ayub Khan to resign after riots ensued in protest of the death of a fellow student.

The deviation, however, of these student unions began when political influence ruptured their very ideology. This happened during the mid-70s when student unions didn’t have students, rather they were filled with biased political workers failing to eye the bigger picture. Student unions became APMSO, Jamiat, and PSF which were later considered as the sole cause of politicizing educational institutions. During the reign of Zia Ul Haq, these unions were seen as one of the foremost reasons for disruption and chaos within major cities of the country, and thus were banned by the dictator and later the Supreme Court also consented with the decision. Since then, student unions failed to make a mark in the country’s politics and thus were long forgotten, until the red flag waved in Lahore.

With red slogans hovering over the clear blue sky, many influential journalists, social media personalities and analysts supported the student solidarity march. One of my close acquaintance from Karachi, with whom I have shared the stage at “The Great Debate” 2018 and 2019, Muhammad Ammar Abbasi, during an interaction stated,

“The first and foremost thing that needs to cleared is the myth that is revolving around this solidarity march. The myth is that this march is an agenda of the elite class of Pakistan, which is certainly not the case. Being amidst the protesters in this march, I witnessed first hand that most students in that march were from a humble background. I am personally not a supporter of the socialist ideology that this march instills, however, there were some significant issues that were raised in this protest which were extremely important to support. The major issue is the lack of proper checks and balances in our educational institutes which paves the way for incidents like the Nimrata rape case and Mashal Khan’s killing. Having no constitutional protection, students have become perfect prey, whereas educational institutions the perfect hunting ground. Both administrative and financial policies do not involve the voice of students, and hence a constitutional representation is exceedingly necessary to ensure that our voice and the voice of million others are heard and implemented upon.

Moreover, the videos from the Faiz Festival in Lahore and the student solidarity march all across the country have gained both widespread support and criticism. Most critiques are of opinion that the attitude and manner in which the march is being organized portrays a negative image of the culture we reside in. As a matter of fact, critiques tend to support the very culture where a nine-year-old is stoned to death in rural Sindh whilst in the urban region, masses are observed to justify the kidnapping of Dua Mangi. Others argue that if the student unions are given power again, they would recreate the culture of barbarism and anarchy in colleges and universities that were observed during the late 80s and the 90s.

To counter these concerns, many students, who were both vocal and vibrant during the march came forward and clear the air of concerns that were looming around. They stressed the fact that student unions would ensure the protection and rights of all students around the country. The misuse of administrative power will be catered to, and the provision of a platform to allow every student’s voice to be heard will be ensured. Also, student unions provide a chance for the youth to actively participate in current affairs, and it also allows them to become aware of the system that is currently operating within our country, and the glitches that it has.

The student march has not only gained coverage from major media houses, but it has also brought forth a new issue for the current government to cater to. With numerous conspiracy theories attached to the solidarity march, will the government land its support to the cause, or is a dictatorial ordinance wrapped and labelled with “National Concern” is already in place?

It is quite difficult to say for sure, but with PM Imran Khan’s latest tweet highlighting the need for constitutional reforms that operate Student Unions, positive reinforcements can be hoped for.