Students, politics and the Pakistani State
The 2.5 million young people studying at degree colleges and universities in Pakistan are, pursuant to state policy, compelled to remain apolitical. For over 36 years, the state has barred students from partaking in political activities, and on such count student unions have remained banned in Pakistan.
This Friday, hundreds of students took to the streets in over 53 districts across Pakistan to participate in the Student Solidarity March, chanting slogans of “freedom,” and reminding the state: ‘The students of your nation are alive.’ They reasserted their own voice, which the state has for decades silenced and excluded from the political domain.
In 1983, General Zia-ul-Haq imposed a ban on student unions, with the ostensible aim of curbing violence on campuses. His real objective however, was to thwart opposition. Benazir Bhutto’s restoration of student unions in 1988 was short-lived. In 1993, the Supreme Court of Pakistan dealt a heavy blow to students’ constitutionally guaranteed right of freedom of association. The Court barred students from “indulging in politics,” and without defining what such indulging entailed, mandated all students and parents to sign a written undertaking to such effect.
“Legitimate student groups” related to “educational needs” were allowed to continue functioning, creating thereby a facade of (compliant) student activism on campuses.
Student unions can help foster a spirit of democracy among the youth, and serve as a training ground and a platform for persons who otherwise do not have the resources or connections to access mainstream politics, which in Pakistan has increasingly become more dynastic. The ban on student unions renders politics less accessible, pluralistic and representative; the ban is therefore anti-democratic.
Sahar Zareen Bandial
While, paradoxically, the law recognized the political maturity of an 18-year old student to exercise suffrage and join youth wings of political parties, it deemed unsafe the development and exercise of political consciousness through student unions on college/university campuses. Interestingly, in 2017, the Law Ministry recommended the restoration of student unions and communicated a summary to the Interior Ministry for necessary action in this behalf; but with no consequence.
The Student Solidarity March put forward a list of demands for the state: the de-barring of student unions; un-doing the requirement of having students and parents provide an undertaking regarding non-engagement in politics; increase in the budgetary allocation for education; halting the corporatization of universities and the accompanying fee hike; the provision of free and quality education across Pakistan; ensuring effective measures to address harassment on campuses; and non-discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, language or religion.
There is merit to these demands.
Student unions can help foster a spirit of democracy among the youth, and serve as a training ground and a platform for persons who otherwise do not have the resources or connections to access mainstream politics, which in Pakistan has increasingly become more dynastic. The ban on student unions renders politics less accessible, pluralistic and representative; the ban is therefore anti-democratic.
The resultant apoliticization of student bodies, many have argued, has led to a less accountable education system, where violation of students’ rights has gone unaddressed – be it the case of surveillance and harassment of students at Balochistan University, the sudden closure of hostel facilities in Islamabad or in more extreme instances the killing of students. The collective voice of students, organized through representative bodies, may be able to more effectively hold universities accountable to students’ concerns.
The state’s reaction to Friday’s march has been confused. According to the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, PM Imran Khan has directed the federal and provincial governments to frame a comprehensive strategy to protect students’ rights and to resolve their problems in a speedy manner.
On the other hand, however, an FIR was filed in Lahore against the organisers of the march, on charges of sedition and public nuisance. The state appears inherently fearful of student activism and politics, not realising that the 57 million youth aged between 15 and 29 represent the future of Pakistan. Ignoring their demands through actions of high-handedness is not in the state’s benefit.
- Sahar Zareen Bandial is an Advocate of the High Courts and a member of the Adjunct Faculty at the Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law, LUMs. She has a keen interest in gender issues and has worked extensively in the area of legislative drafting.
