Source: The Emergency Times
Syed Saad Rizvi
The removal of ban on student unions by the present government is a welcome sign for the establishment of a strong democracy in Pakistan but there is still a lot that needs to be done. Much damage has already been done to the image of politics and its effectiveness among the post-1984 generation – especially present students – because of the long-standing ban on student unions.
General Ziaul Haq banned student unions, learning from his Turkish counterparts, in an attempt to subdue politics. The decision was further compounded by his ideological leanings because that mean that progressive student bodies were effectively rooted out but Islamic student’s organizations such as the Islami Jamiat-e-Tulaba (IJT) were in fact strengthened during his time. As a result, these Islamic student unions gained a monopoly in the universities and frequently resorted to militancy and violence to harass students at campuses to coerce them into following the student wing’s own agenda. Furthermore, the state support, even if covert, to these student organizations made them immune to any action from law-enforcement agencies and this only served to embolden them. In many cases, members of the faculty at various universities felt their moral duty to support these militant student organizations to the extent that they became their de facto members and/or patrons.
Also, in the aftermath of the ban, some student organizations arose along ethnic lines while others, remnants of former unions, associated themselves with political parties. The student organizations that organised along ethnic lines were armed and did not hesitate to engage in violence to safeguard their interests. These student organizations also represented and reflected the resentment of local ethnic groups against the policies of the central government and also the state itself.
The ban on student unions did not stem the violence on campuses, which only continued to grow. Adamjee Government Science College, apparently the best intermediate college in Karachi with a student body that is among the brightest in the country, was often scene of many violent incidents. On the very first day for new students who join the college, the above-mentioned student organizations have their representatives at the college door, all trying to lure the new students to join their student wings. They are attracted by what later turn out to be bogus promises of helping with academics or even with the registration process. Some even go to the extent of claiming themselves to be saviours against campus violence and pledge to protect their members from it. As for those students who manage to somehow avoid joining a student union, they still are affected by violence. It is this violence which greatly affected how most students see and perceive student unions on campus – usually as things to be avoided. The power of the student wings was, as is, such that usually even the head of the college, the principal, is unable to do much about the violence, except to call in the Rangers of the police, as and when it happens. And this state of affairs is found across the length and breadth of the country.
So, while the step to lift the ban on student unions is good that it may allow some genuine politics to take place and could help reduce the incidents of violence, it needs to be followed by a stringent deweaponization campaign in all colleges and universities. If done without favouring any particular student wing it could restore a certain level of confidence in student politics and would also contribute towards the establishment of a level playing field for all student organizations. Reducing violence in politics at national level would also serve as motivation for those students who may already be interested in political activism.
In addition to this, courses in civics should be taught to secondary school students. Political science, history and geography should all be offered as separate subjects instead of the hodgepodge that one finds in the form of Pakistan Studies. In addition, seminars and conferences should be held to explain to students the real role of student unions and how they can be used as a platform for airing and reflecting the wishes and aspirations, as well as grievances, of students to the administration and even to the government of the day. Politicians could be invited to campuses to engage with students in dialogue and this could help remove some of the faulty notions that many students have of politics and politicians.
Students need representation at some level. All developed and democratic nations have student platforms and organizations and these usually serve as breeding grounds for future leaders. Besides, if an interest in politics is not encouraged or developed during one’s student years, this country could face a grave leadership crisis – the signs of which are already becoming visible.
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Tags: Democracy, Government, post-1984 generation, removal of ban on student unions, Students
1 response so far ↓
1 Ilyas khan baloch // May 3, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Dear Sir/Madam,
The Youth- ONLY HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF PAKISTAN.
The role of youth in the rebuilding of Pakistan should be envisaged and elaborated in such a way that it becomes easy to address the grievances and suggest ways out of it, so that a new era of dawn can be started.
Since the creation of Pakistan, the Pakistani is deprived of their basic right to rule this country according to their aspiration and dream. At the same time, the real strength for the development along with their internal skill i.e. the youth power of Pakistan was left alone in isolation at the mercy of circumstances and their basic right to get the development opportunity without any discrimination was denied. Pakistan is a country of diversified culture and traditions. It is a nation of one hundred sixty million diverse people ranging from having skill within, having no opportunity to utilize the skills, and those who need help and guidance for development of skills to utilize. Pakistan is a melting pot of creative ideas and god gifted skill. But it needs organized planning and a system to develop and utilize these skills for rapid development in industrialization and agricultural sector.
Though the youth of Pakistan is still under its formative phase, they have the ability to increase vast production processes and providing substantial training to the masses in all parts of the country. According to the vision of the father of the nation, Pakistan was to be a democratic country based on the concept of equal citizenship for all Pakistani, irrespective of their color and creed. As per Jinnah’s vision, Pakistan had to facilitate vibrant economic opportunities by curbing corruption and partiality. Although this speech was censored by those who wanted to create confusion, derail democracy, and deny the development as per aspirations of Pakistani.
The Youth of Pakistan, the “Nation Builders”, are also nullified and ignored in sharing the rewards given to us by our mother land. The country, which was established after countless sacrifices of our forefathers to attain the liberty, prosperity and peace, simply. For being free and prosperous Pakistani. But, In return, our rulers have given this country nothing but a gloomy future, poverty and betrayal. As a result, our youth has been connotated as “Young Seagulls” trying to fly without feathers towards their destiny. Pakistanis in their quest for real freedom continue to struggle to get free from the shackles of ruling elites, encircle us. Whenever a person rises up for something new in his mind, it is pressed down as being a “rebellious thought”.
The question is, to what extent such a paralyzed mind and body can serve the nation? In fact, the “Nation Builders” themselves need overhauling and ample space to fly. Unless and until, we develop an optimistic thinking and unshackled of the chained, our journey to the country’s prosperity cannot reach its destination. We should not lose the right path for the fear of being followed by absurdities and unfair means, like a dark shadow. Islamic Democratic Party has decided to give the rain of socio-political change in the hand of new generation in Pakistan. IDP wants them to read and understand the program and come forward to lead this party at grass route level to decide the fate of their future destination and take power in their hands.
As the Pakistani people, have been left at a distance from the corridor of power so that the ruling elite can do what they wanted to do in favor of their interest, leaving the Pakistani people at the mercy of circumstances. This policy is an outright denial of the right of Pakistanis to rule their country according to their aspiration and desire to build this country, which can provide equal opportunity to all, without any discrimination for the establishment of welfare society. Only the society based on tolerance, equality and justice can be the real guarantee for a prosperous and strong Pakistan.
Islamic democratic party has accepted this challenge to rationalize the system from its base of centralization of sole power, controlled by the feudal and mighty elites, to the new base of decentralization of power in the hands of Pakistani at grass route level so that the route cause of deprivation, hatred and poverty could be eliminated and Pakistan can become a prosperous, developed state without any discrimination. Under the name and banner if Islamic Democratic party (IDP), the power should transfer at divisional level within the provinces with
financial, administrative and political power to establish real democracy in Pakistan. The divisional council will be responsible for providing the basic guarantee for the people living or settled in the division with transparency and accountability of the public representative and institution, where as provinces should be based on democratic division and the centre should be based on democratic provinces. There will be no politician in the senate but experts form all walks of life, including religious scholars assuring that no law can pass in NA against the law of Allah.
We have already lost the major part of Pakistan in 1971 simply to save the centralized sole power to exploit the resources of this country, they let the country breaking, in a part then allowing the masses to rule this country democratically. In the present circumstances they are again dragging our sovereignty at stack for the external interest in the name of national interest, instead of our interest i.e. the interest of Pakistani people at large.
The only way out of these crucial circumstances is to empower the common Pakistani at grass route level i.e. the change of system. This change is inevitable for the prosperous Pakistan .As a citizen of this country I have try to provide an alternate socio-political system to empower the masses at grass route level for rapid industrial and agriculture development with transparency and accountability in the system. Along with basic guarantees for the creation of welfare state, where in public representative and institution shall be answerable and accountable to the masses.
We invite the youth of Pakistan to take the rain in their hands and lead the nation in right direction.
See web site www.idp.org.pk
Ilyas khan Baloch
Organizer, Islamic Democratic Party.
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