KARACHI: The Youth Dialogue on Democratic and Peaceful Governance and Sustainable Development organised by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Trans­parency and UNDP Pakistan at a local hotel here on Tuesday saw many young people questioning members of the Sindh Assembly about things that they see as wrong in their province and society in general.

“The youth, who are growing in number in Pakistan, hope for policies that include their interests too. But for this to happen they need to talk about their issues and the problems they face. They need to tell politicians about issues that they face in education, while seeking employment, while trying to be included in society,” said Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, the moderator.

The dialogue with the politicians started with Maryam Nayyar, a student, wondering aloud about outdated professional courses.

Land reforms, education, politics besides other issues discussed

Ex-senator Taj Haider took her question and explained that after the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, the provincial syllabus was revised for classes eight and nine.

“Still, higher education is with the federal government,” he said adding that there was also a need for devolving funds to the provinces for higher education.

He also pointed out that the Higher Education Commission of Sindh has not been able to do much due to its head being surrounded in his own problems.

“Still the PPP manifesto focuses on education. We want to bring professional education and training at par with international standards. And we are getting there in the teaching of medicine at least,” he said.

Syed Ali Hassan, a student of mass communication, asked about land reforms which are not coming about despite three PPP governments after Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s government.

Replying to him Mr Haider said that the PPP government had taken measures to see landlords not getting more than 100 acres each.

“But then there was the late ruler Ziaul Haq who said that the government had no say in how much land an individual owned as it was his private land,” he said.

“We have also referred to the Supreme Court regarding this matter but let’s see when they can find the time,” he added.

Zahra Haliqa, another representative from the youth side, then diverted the politicians’ attention to the 50 per cent schools that are without basic facilities such as drinking water, bathrooms and electricity.

PPP Senator Sassui Palijo said that the Sindh government was carrying out surprise inspections at schools to check for such shortcomings and also for absentee teachers.

Khushbakht Sohail, another student, inquired about what they had in mind to help education in Sindh.

Ms Palijo said she thought the inclusion of more sports and extracurricular activities besides scholarships could help education in the province.

She also thought that the children of ministers and politicians needed to be sent to government schools, which would go a long way in raising the standard of these schools.

There was also a mention of extra school buildings as there are too many schools in an area with little population which has resulted in closing of these schools.

Wasim Soomro, a student from Lyari, wanted to know what was being done about gender discrimination regarding transgenders and MPA Rashid Khilji from the MQM said that it was an area they needed to think about and work on.

On the subject of lack of student unions brought up by the youth, Mian Waqar Pagganwala said that the people should not be looking at politics and political parties as a priority, as there were other things needing their attention such as humanity.

“Political parties are only into point-scoring and the youths here have no confidence,” he pointed out.

“So we should not be looking at politics as a solution. It is unity and going out of one’s way to help each other,” he said.

Abdul Rasheed of the Jamaat-i-Islami also said then that politics should be based on needs but not for towing a line or on wishful thinking or ideals.

“It should be realistic at least,” he said.

Rashid Rajput, a student, said that corruption was a problem too. And the saddest part was that it has been accepted by people.

“They take with them extra cash to bribe someone or the other at government institutions.” He was told that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was very much against corruption. But to root out the problem all institutions and political parties needed to have zero tolerance for any kind of corruption anywhere.

MPA Nusrat Abbasi of the Grand Democratic Alliance also spoke on the subject of corruption.

“Corruption is like termites eating away a green tree that provides shadow. It is rampant everywhere and must be rooted out,” she said.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2018