Students Solidarity March

Students Solidarity March is a political rally in support of demands of students that took place in Pakistan twice. First, on November 30, 2018 in Lahore, Islamabad and eight other cities of Pakistan, students rallies were held.[1] Second time it took place on November 29, 2019 in 53 cities of Pakistan.[2] This march was supported by Students Action Committee[3] which was joined by many progressive organizations.[4] The main demands were to increase in education budget, restoration and elections of student unions and democratic rights for students. Participants also strongly condemned occupation of their hostels by paramilitary forces and poor investigation of sexual harassment cases.[5]

Students Solidarity March
DateNovember 30, 2018, November 29, 2019
Location
53 cities of Pakistan.
Caused by
  • Budget cuts, rise in fees, sexual harassment
GoalsRestoration of Student Unions, End Profiling of students, Withdrawal of fee hike, Democratic rights for students.
MethodsProtest march

Background

Pakistan has vibrant history of student politics, Students were actively participating in students' union elections and played important role in looking after interests of students. In 1984, student unions were banned by the Ziaul Haq dictatorship.[6] 1968 movement in Pakistan which later toppled Ayub Khan was initiated through student protest.[7]

According to Iqbal Haider Butt’s book, Revisiting Student Politics in Pakistan, In 1983's student union elections in [[Karachi]] all progressive and anti-dictatorship alliances swept the polls and then Sindh’s provincial Governor Lieutenant-General SM Abbasi warned Zia Ul Haq that due to student union, universities and colleges can once again become breeding grounds of anti-government agitation.[8] After him students politics was allowed in country for a short time till they were again banned by Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1993. Judgement had banned politics within campus but had stressed for a platform where students may indulge in intellectual discussions and debates.[9] Although all progressive students organizations were crushed but right-wing fascists organization like Islami Jamiat-i-Talba (IJT) and Muslim Students Federation continue to furnish accompanied by ever-increasing amounts of support and patronage being given by Pakistani State.[10]

On commenting current situation of Students, famous left wing writer Lal Khan wrote, "Students in private and public educational institutions are facing harsh and oppressive administrations, expulsions, frequent penalties and fines, a suffocating environment, conservative curriculum and a very low standard of education. The ethos students are being taught are selfishness, competition and careerism. How can they become healthy members of society? Decline in culture, crimes, drugs, lumpenisation and alienation is an expression of this. Let us not forget that it was during Zia’s rule that the ‘Kalashnikov culture’ and sectarian tensions were implanted in student politics".[11]. Government of Pakistan is cutting funding for schools and universities and there is substantial increase in education expenses. Sexual harassment is on rise, students are being subjected to unnecessary "policing" by law enforcement agencies and students voice is being crushed.[12] On campus Cases like Lynching of Mashal Khan, rape and murder of medical student Nimrita Kumari.[13] and murder of several students at campus depicts harsh realities.One of March organizer put reason of march is following words;

We are marching on November 29 to organise and to seek institutional power in universities and create a way of holding onto that power. It’s our education — we should control it.[14]

Students Solidarity March 2018

Student Solidarity march 2018 held successfully in more than 50 cities of Pakistan which was joined by thousands of Students, academics, politicians, activists and civil society supporters[15]. Many notable personalities like Iqbal Lala (father of the late Mashal Khan), Ammar Rashid, Bushra Gohar, Ali Usman Qasmi, Jalila Haider, Nida Kirmani, Jibran Nasir, Farooq Tariq, Lal Khan and other also joined and expressed their solidarity with students. The Charter of Demands presented by students in march included restoring student unions, student representation in decision-making on campuses, functional sexual harassment policies on campuses, freezing the fee hikes, increasing the budgetary allowing for education to 5% of GDP and improving the quality of research and teaching.[16]

Students Solidarity March 2019

The Students' Solidarity March 2019 insists that the government must ensure the following[17]:

  • Lift the ban and hold elections for student unions
  • Abandon privatisation of educational institutes, and reverse a recent decision of school and college fee hike
  • The state should pledge free education for all
  • No more budget cuts for the Higher Education Commission, or sacking of educational staff
  • At least five per cent of the GDP should be allocated for education
  • Abolish the semester system
  • Lift a ban on students from participating in political activities
  • End the intervention (in the name of national security) of security forces in educational institutions, and release all students held captive
  • Establish committees to investigate incidents of sexual harassment, and ensure women are made a part of the set up
  • All universities should have a library, hostel and provide transport and an internet connection
  • Modernise education systems according to the modern scientific requirements
  • Set up schools and colleges in lesser developed areas, and increase the quota of students coming from outside main cities
  • Establish research centres for a transition from fossil fuel energy to renewable energy in public sector universities
  • Announce April 13 as a national holiday to honour Mashal Khan

Pakistan International Students Alliance, Laila Tauqeer, President of the Harvard College Pakistani Students Association, Hamza Tariq Chaudhry, President of the Pakistan Development Society at the London School of Economics and other also expressed solidarity and wrote open letter to Government of Pakistan urging to fulfill demands of students.[18]

Aftermath

Successful Student Solidarity March sparked a debate on students movement, slogan of March “Surkh hoga, surkh hoga – Asia surkh hoga! (It will turn red, it will turn red – Asia will turn red) boomed students of all country.[19] Sindh province announced to lift the ban on student unions in the province.[20] Lahore police registered cases against the organizers and participants including Ammar Ali Jan, Farooq Tariq, Iqbal Lala, Alamgir Wazir (nephew of MNA and Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leader Ali Wazir), Mohammad Shabbir and Kamil Khan.

References

  1. Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (2018-12-01). "Rally demands restoration of student unions". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  2. Sirajuddin, Dawn com | Imran Gabol | Tooba Masood | Syed Ali Shah | Mohammad Hussain Khan | (2019-11-29). "Student Solidarity March held countrywide to demand restoration of unions, better education facilities". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  3. "Students Solidarity March: Students in Pakistan hit the streets". Daily Times. 2019-11-29. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  4. Sirajuddin, Dawn com | Imran Gabol | Tooba Masood | Syed Ali Shah | Mohammad Hussain Khan | (2019-11-29). "Student Solidarity March held countrywide to demand restoration of unions, better education facilities". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  5. "Pakistanis take to the streets for Students Solidarity March | Samaa Digital". Samaa TV. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  6. "Student politics: a brief history". DAWN.COM. 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  7. "Daily Times".
  8. Paracha, Nadeem F. (2018-10-13). "What is hindering the revival of student politics in Pakistan?". Naya Daur. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  9. "Student politics in Pakistan | Pakistan Today". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  10. "Reviving student politics". The Nation. 2018-01-28. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  11. "Who is afraid of student unions?". Daily Times. 2016-01-17. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  12. Naqvi, Farwa (2019-11-21). "Why the Student Solidarity March is being organised across the country". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  13. "Nimrita Kumari killed after being raped: autopsy report | Pakistan Today". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  14. "Why are we marching?". The Current. 2019-11-22. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  15. "Thousands Attend Student Solidarity March Across Pakistan". Newsweek Pakistan. 2019-11-30. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  16. "Students across Pakistan protest for freeze on fee hikes, student unions and safe campuses". Daily Times. 1 December 2018.
  17. "Students' Solidarity March: 'You do not speak for us, we speak for ourselves'". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  18. Rehman, Atika (29 November 2019). "International students voice support for solidarity march". DAWN.COM.
  19. "'Our Spark of Hope': Why Pakistan's Burgeoning Students Movement is Taking Lessons from JNU". News18. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  20. "Sindh ready to lift 35-year-old ban on student unions | Samaa Digital". Samaa TV. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
gollark: But school is bad still.
gollark: yes.
gollark: School is really quite terrible, generally.
gollark: ++delete windows
gollark: You can probably do apprenticeships in a trade, like... welding or something.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.