A VIGOROUS students’ movement in the early ‘50s has an important place in Pakistan’s history. It radicalized the political and economic discourse in the country for years to come.
Soon after Karachi was declared Pakistan’s federal capital, a great many people started to inhabit the city both from across the border as well as from the less developed regions of Pakistan in search of new employment and investment opportunities. The city’s population increased almost five times from 300,000 in 1947 to 1.5 million in 1953. As a result, public services became increasingly inadequate, particularly the educational infrastructure was in a shambles. Although there were some reputable institutions, such as the DJ Science College and the Sindh Madressah, their number was quite small in relation to the growing needs of the city’s burgeoning population.
At the same time, the demand for more educational facilities was increasing. Karachi’s new urban middle class, drawn from all parts of the subcontinent, relied on education as its main source of advancement in life. Frustration among the youth about their inability to acquire proper education and access to adequate educational facilities was growing. The government was too busy in the power struggle as various factions were vying to hold their grip on the state apparatus.
After partition of the subcontinent Karachi’s educational institutions were taken over by the newly-created Sindh University, and in 1950 by the University of Karachi. Offices and some of the teaching departments of the university were housed in buildings scattered all over the city.
It was against this backdrop that a lot of students realized the need for an organized effort to press for their demands. Students from different colleges of Karachi got together to form the Democratic Students Federation (DSF), whose principle aim was to improve education facilities and create employment opportunities once students were through with their studies.
To carry on with the struggle more effectively, the DSF decided to form an Inter-Collegiate Body (ICB), consisting of the principle office-bearers of college unions in Karachi.
After pressing the university authorities for a dialogue on the demands of students which led to nowhere, the ICB decided to approach the then education minister. And in case the minister did not show any interest in meeting them, a protest would be held. The education minister, who had promised to meet protesting students towards the end of December, left for a Commonwealth meeting in London. In the meantime, the vice-chancellor met a phoney delegation of students patronized by him in order to pre-empt the meeting arranged between the ICB delegation and the education minister, who was told by the vice-chancellor that he had already met the students’ delegation and there was no need for him to see them. This naturally infuriated the ICB leadership who decided to give a call for staging a ‘Demands Day’ on Jan 7, 1953 and take out a procession to the education minister’s house on the Kutcherry Road. Approximately 5,000 students assembled at the DJ Science College and listened to the speeches of their leaders, Mohammad Sarwar, Mirza Kazim and other prominent students of different colleges. They were asked to disperse once the ICB delegation had met the education minister and presented its demands.
However, the police was bent on disrupting the procession from the start and wanted it to disperse much before reaching the education minister’s residence. They resorted to baton-charge on the Frere Road, causing injuries to many students; but they failed to stop the procession. When the procession reached the Elphinstone Street, the police panicked and teargassed the street. Students had to run helter-skelter to seek shelter in shops and nearby houses. They regrouped and continued their march towards the education minister’s house. But they were once again teargassed near the Karachi Club. In the meanwhile, the police arrested some student leaders in the hope that the rest of them would then go away. Despite all that, a large number of students refused to budge and continued to chant slogans and demand the release of their leaders, who were ultimately released and granted an interview with the education minister. The minister, in the presence of the vice-chancellor and director of education, agreed to most of the demands.
The events of Jan 7 shocked the entire nation and messages of sympathy and solidarity came pouring in. On Jan 8, students assembled on the premises of DJ College to celebrate their victory. They decided to take out another procession through the streets of Karachi to protest against police brutalities and to thank the general public for their support. However, it seemed that the police was hellbent on taking revenge for their inability to stop the procession from reaching the minister’s house the day before. They trapped a small group of students who had strayed from the main procession. The general public tried to help students and became engaged in a pitched battle against the police. Yet again, the police resorted to baton-charge, teargas and ultimately opened fired at students resulting in loss of precious lives, including a ten-year-old boy and an old man.
On Jan 9, the public, outraged by police violence, decided to go on strike. However, the strike was disrupted by the police with the help of some miscreants. Students themselves remained peaceful, although a large posse of police force was posted at the Pakistan Chowk to prevent students of DJ and the Dow Medical College from taking out another procession. The city was virtually under siege. To defuse the situation a number of prominent businessmen of Karachi persuaded the authorities to request the then prime minister Khwaja Nazimuddin to meet student representatives who were assured that their demands would be met. Unfortunately, Khwaja Nazimuddin did not stay much longer in office. However, after his departure, the next prime minister, Mohammad Ali Bogra invited students and showed them the plans for a new campus for the University of Karachi.
The events of January 1953 raised the level of consciousness about education and social issues in Pakistan.
