KARACHI: Restoration of student unions demanded - Three-day book fair
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Feb 24: Speakers at a ceremony, on Tuesday, called for restoration of student unions at educational institutions, with some parameters acceptable to the stake holders.
The speakers, including a former chief justice, expressed the view that incidents of violence or other mismanagement involving students did take place only when the administration at the educational institutions failed to act properly or when political parties resorted to bring students on streets.
They were speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a three-day book fair organized under the Study Aid Project of NED University of Engineering and Technology at Sadequain Lawn.
The exhibition was largely attended by NED university students as well as students and teachers from government and private education institutions.
Speaking as chief guest, the former chief justice of Pakistan, Justice (retd) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, said that imposition of ban on students union elections and other activities had served no good purpose as students bodies were undertaking all such activities what they used to do before the imposition of ban.
He said that ban on student unions was not in line with the spirit and provisions of the Constitution. He advocated for revival of student union activities, but at the same time called for giving them an outline to work.
Highlighting the importance of books and reading habits, Justice (retd) Saeeduzzaman said that the time had come for the government to move for cheaper edition of books.
If the provisions of intellectual property rights are fully adopted and implemented in the country, the publication of technical education books or others on higher education, which though on very limited scale is being done, would diminish and finally our students would have to suffer, he said.
He urged the government to enter certain agreement or collaboration with the foreign publishers so that reproduction of books and their sale at reasonable prices could be realized.
Former vice-chancellor of Karachi University, Dr Abdul Wahab, said that the varsity administrations never bothered to facilitate the students community and did not solve problems of students.
Most of the administration people at campuses try to cover up their alleged misdeeds by conniving with student groups, which had already got their mighty political patrons and allies, he added.
He pointed out that student union elections help train the students and promote healthy practices leading to flourishing of democracy in the country as well.
Referring to the holding of book fair at a private lawn, the vice-chancellor held that if the exhibition was arranged in the campus it could have created better impacts.
The Pasban president and the former president of NED university students' union, Altaf Shakoor, also deplored the holding of SAP's book exhibition in private lawn instead of the campus. It was narrow mindedness of the NED administration that such an event of significance was not allowed to be held in the campus, he remarked.
The Islami Jamiat Talba Nazim of NED University, Hafiz Muzammil Abdur Rehman, said that the ban on student unions imposed about 19 years back had not benefited the society in any way.
At present, students were in sense of frustration as they did not get any forum to speak on genuine issues they were faced with, he added.
Later, the speakers and other dignitaries visited a number of stalls, where books and CDs on various topics were available. One of the organizers pointed out that visitors were being given a discount of 20 to 35 per cent on purchase of books and CDs at the fair.
