Senate passes resolution to revive student unions in educational institutions

The Senate's Committee of the Whole passed a resolution on Tuesday calling for the revival of student unions in educational institutions, DawnNews reported.

The student unions provide a platform for students to engage in social and educational activities and defend their rights at the same time, read a resolution passed in Senate during a session chaired by Chairman Raza Rabbani.

Members of the Senate said that student unions have played an important role against dictators in the past and claimed that Mashal Khan's murder would not have taken place if student unions were allowed on campus.

However, the Senators stressed that the federal and provincial governments must ensure that a no-weapons policy is strictly observed on campuses and that administrations maintain peace in educational institutions by making unions follow a set code of conduct.

No student should be granted membership of a union without clearing all exams, they added.

Agreeing with the senators, Senator Rabbani said that student unions give the poor and middle classes a platform to enter national-level politics; therefore, "they must be revived".

Being an independent institution, it's the duty of Senate to carry out legislations that benefit the people, he observed.

Referring to the Supreme Court's 1993 ban on student unions, the resolution said that restoring student unions will not be a violation of court orders because the Constitution of Pakistan gives everyone the right to form associations.

Student unions were banned during Gen Ziaul Haq's regime. The order was rescinded by the late Benazir Bhutto in 1988; however, in 1993, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on unions on the grounds that they contribute to violence on campuses.

Pakistan

Nadir Guramani is a journalist and anchorperson for Dawn News (TV) with 17 years of experience. His reporting covers parliamentary affairs, foreign policy, politics, climate change, and human rights. He can be found on X at @nguramani.

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MF JARWAR

Aug 22, 2017 03:23pm

"No student should be granted membership of a union without clearing all exams."

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Nisar

Aug 22, 2017 03:32pm

This is not good for education.

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Haider Khan

Aug 22, 2017 03:37pm

Not a good idea at all Have seen nothing but Mischive in student unions

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abuzar

Aug 22, 2017 03:38pm

All private universities should also have student wings, for example, IBA, LUMS, GIK and all, otherwise if the law is passed only for government universities than only poor and middle class will become fuel for the goals of political parties,

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Noor M Sheikh

Aug 22, 2017 03:52pm

If you can control the country with politicians you may also have student union. Misuse needs to be controlled through proper implementation. However probability is that unions would be used and would become puppets of political parties and would hamper the academic activities. Let us first have a peaceful political tolerance and then unions may be revived.

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Iqbal bhai

Aug 22, 2017 04:00pm

Huge step back for Pakistan. Students should do what they are supposed to do - to study. Engaging them in politics will only fuel violence at campuses and unfortunate closure of the campus off and on. Pity that the Chairman Senate speaks of democracy, instituitions, and logic while does exactly the opposite thing in action.

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Pakman

Aug 22, 2017 04:12pm

Student union should not be party based. Otherwise political parties would exploit the students to their end. Most of the party based student leaders that I have cine across resort to violence and form gangs all in the name of politics.

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Statistician

Aug 22, 2017 04:51pm

Allowing student unions is like introducing disruption and chaos in the institutions hence this is a very unfortunate development. Why do we need new leaders when most of the politics is modeled on dynasty? I this the move aims to create low cadre political workers. In my opinion this is systematic exploitation of young minds

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Bilal Khan

Aug 22, 2017 06:50pm

I am a student and we all know that universities and colleges are meant for education. Education needs a secure and peaceful environment. If students unions are allowed, this peaceful environment we have will no more exist. Please save our institutions from such activities. The senate should focus its attention on other many issues, Pakistan is facing now.

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Nazar

Aug 22, 2017 07:36pm

Unions will create bad name on the part of students affairs, Pakistan can't bear the burden of unions. Poor students of institutions will be black mailed easily. Already a prevailing deteriorating position of education in government institutions will stand of nowhere. Elite schools, colleges or universities will never allow unions in their institutions. Who will suffer; that is poor? This is one way to keep the children of poor and middle class people away from lucrative posts. Already there is a good hold of top bureaucracy and elite class over cadre posts, now again the children of common men can never compete for cadre posts because of their poor back ground and union culture

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shayan khan

Aug 23, 2017 11:17am

Stundent Unions are nothing but encouranging "Badmaashi" of Students.

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Hira Saeed

Aug 23, 2017 12:30pm

Students who may already belong to any political party must not allow to be a part of student union. Moreover these unions should only be restricted to work for institutional and social cause.

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