KARACHI: Students form alliance to oppose privatization
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 18: A joint body of students organisations operating in the city has been formed to fight the denationalisation policy of the government and other ‘injustices being committed against students’ at government educational institutions.
This was revealed by the chief organiser of the newly set Muttahida Talaba Mahaz (United Students’ Front), Syed Tahir Akbar of the Islami Jamiat Talaba, Karachi, at a press conference on Thursday.
He said that 14 students bodies had given consented to unite for the new students forum, while negotiations with 4 others were under way.
Mr Tahir, who was flanked by Shaukat Gilgiti of the Peoples’ Students Federation (PSF), and Riaz Afandi of the Punjabi Pakhtoon Students’ Federation, also announced to hold a convention of students on April 23 at the Federal Government Urdu Science College, to decide further line of action.
Representatives from various students organisations maintained that after the ban on students unions, academic and administrative situation had deteriorated. They said that students and teachers both would suffer due to the ill-advised denationalisation programme of the Sindh government.
The chief organiser informed that a regular body of the Mahaz would be finalised through elections at different levels within a month’s time.
Students organisations which announced to work jointly as a front are the Anjuman Talaba Islam, the Imamia Students Organisation, the PSF (SB), the Hazara Students’ Federation, the Jammu Kashmir Students’ Federation, the Pakhtoon Students Federation, the All Pakistan Muhajir Students Organisation and the Pakhtoonkhawa Students Organisation.