Students from the public and private institutes of Pakistan marched on roads to demand the revival of student unions in campuses which are banned from more than three decades.
The march organized by Progressive Students Federation took place in mega cities of Pakistan like Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore where hundreds of students from private and public sector colleges and universities participated.
Thousands of students joined #StudentsSolidairtyMarch today in different cities! pic.twitter.com/zallxKqrCv
— PRSF Islamabad Rawalpindi ☭ (@ProgStudentsFed) November 30, 2018
Demand for the Revival of Democratic Student Unions
The participants held placards with slogans that demanded to resolve the pressing issues like fee hikes, lack of educational budget, need to increase the students quota from diverse ethnic backgrounds, ending discrimination on campuses, revival of student unions and creating a conductive environment where students can raise their voice against problems they face.
Scenes from the Student March
Students of Lahore from the institutes like University of Punjab, Government College University, Lahore University of Management Sciences and Forman Christian College University, marched at Mall road from Istanbul Chowk to Chairing Cross. They made a resolution to continue their struggle for the students rights.
This is a call to all the students of Pakistan to organise against the ongoing injustices against us #StudentsSolidairtyMarch pic.twitter.com/90qC0K8gGy
— PRSF Islamabad Rawalpindi ☭ (@ProgStudentsFed) November 30, 2018
It seemed like the beginning of struggle for another era of Pakistani left.
Hundreds of leftist students have organised themselves despite a ban on students unions in the country. Today was a big day for the students who marched on the streets of the country #StudentsSolidarityMarch pic.twitter.com/uFYtMn1iFu
— Tooba (@Tooba_Sd) November 30, 2018
Students of Gilgit Baltistan raising their voice for the revival of students unions.
#StudentsSolidarityMarch in Gilgit-Baltistan. Zinda Hain Tulba ✊ pic.twitter.com/A4CbMbx6c0
— NSF Gilgit-Baltistan (@NSFGB) November 30, 2018
Scenes from Islamabad March
Students from educational institutes of Islamabad protested outside the press clubs.
Some of the placards at the #StudentsSolidarityMarch in #Islamabad happening right now outside press club. Students will march in sometime. pic.twitter.com/7XR4B8WI2n
— Tooba (@Tooba_Sd) November 30, 2018
They were also vocal about the rights of female students and demanded to discrimination in curfew timings for hostel.
Pariha, a student of Gender Studies in QAU speaking about the discriminatory curfew timings in the hotel for male and female students #StudentsSolidarityMarch #Islamabad pic.twitter.com/aSlLlA5evd
— Tooba (@Tooba_Sd) November 30, 2018
Participants of Islamabad march raised their voice for political freedom.
Students raising slogans for political freedom and for the unbanning of student unions#StudentsSolidarityMarch #Islamabad pic.twitter.com/xKxxDxL30I
— Tooba (@Tooba_Sd) November 30, 2018
How Just Were Students to Demand their Rights
Progressive Student Federations’ March for their rights might not go well with conservative factions of society. It is a common perception that students must stay away from politics and concentrate on their studies whole heartedly.
But they fail to understand the fact that focusing on academics almost becomes impossible when campuses fail to provide an inclusive environment. Fear of isolation due to discrimination, financial burden due to fees hike, lack of cooperation from faculty members and administration and ban on voicing the opinions are the factors that convert campuses into jails, making it difficult for students to learn new things and use their creativity in a conductive environment.
Another crisis of Pakistani campuses is that they are dominated by the unions of one particular thought making it difficult for students to voice their dissent when they face dictatorship. In order to ensure a balance and make way for some progressive policies the students unions must be revived in a way that democratic voices get their fair share and society gets better alternatives for a prosperous future.
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