LAHORE: “We should provide physical space to students for interaction and promotion of debate between them by establishing student union buildings on every campus,” said Punjab Higher Education Chairman Dr Nizamuddin while speaking in a talk, titled ‘Extremism in Universities’, at Afkar-i-Taza ThinkFest at Alhamra on Sunday.

He said he was impressed with the Government College University (GCU) student societies that were promoting a culture of debate. “We should not allow political parties to set up their student wings on campuses because it results in violence.”

Dr Nizam said debates on national and international issues should be conducted at student union buildings which should be organised by students and a budget allotted to them.

Moderator S Akbar Zaidi said: “I think student unions should be allowed to work in all educational institutions. Everyone should be allowed to have an opinion, which is not extremist, but if someone starts forcibly imposing their opinion on others that is extremism.”

He said he could bear whatever someone wanted to say if the person did not impose it on him and also allowed him to speak and does not torture or kill. He also said he did not want people to accept/agree with his opinion all the time.

GCU Vice Chancellor Dr Hassan Amir Shah said students should be allowed to form unions, but political parties should stay away from the practice. He said they had raised walls and deployed guards for the security of campuses that could not be made breeding grounds for political parties as it promoted extremism. “We have to take steps to reform our curriculum which is still under the Zia influence,” he added.

Zaidi said he could not understand that if an 18-year-old could caste vote to elect the country’s leadership why he or she was not allowed to join a political party.

Answering a query, Dr Nizam said in his personal opinion, the government should not be allowed to interfere in matters of universities and parliament should legislate. No one should be banned from practicing their religion or allowed to impose their religion on others.

He further said police should not be called in to intervene in the matters of university campuses and the curriculum needed to be reformed.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2018