KARACHI: Amid criticism from opponents, human rights bodies and civil society over growing sexual harassment cases in Sindh universities, Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari admitted on Wednesday that the harassment and abuse complaints had seen a rise, but blamed the non-existence of students’ unions and activism for the deterioration of educational institutions across the country.

While justifying the role of students’ unions a week after the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed the Sindh Students Union Bill 2019, he said political activism in colleges and universities would not only empower the voice of students raised for their rights, but it would also strengthen the institutions, their disciplines and quality of education.

Addressing the packed-to-capacity auditorium of the Arts Council at the convention of the Sindh Peoples Students Federation, he regretted that students were deprived of both their rights and role in the educational institutions.

Pledges to open a university in every district of Sindh

They were not involved in the decisions which set the course of their future, he added.

“We are keep hearing about increase in fee and increase in number of cases of sexual harassment at educational institutions,” he said, adding that it’s so unjust that these cases were then referred for investigation to the colleagues of the suspects, who were blamed for these acts.

“How will they be considered impartial for such jobs? You [students] are never consulted before increase in the fee and you are never consulted for any key issue about your own institutions. You are not even involved in discussions over single curricula. Two ministers of Sindh cabinet are here in this convention today — the minister of education and the minister of universities and boards. Let me tell you this that after restoration of student unions, these two ministries of Sindh will be run by you.”

‘Campus in all districts’

It is for the first time in recent weeks that the PPP chairman has reacted to the growing criticism against his party, which is being censured for being run by “feudal lords” and for protecting the interests of elite class and ignoring its founding motto.

Although calling it propaganda, he did not rule it out for running along with feudal lords for a certain reason and political necessity.

“There’s propaganda going on that PPP needs them [feudal],” he said. “Let me make it clear that ‘they’ need PPP, the PPP doesn’t need them.”

He continued: “We move with everyone, but with equality. Sometime we move a step forward and sometime backward. It doesn’t make a difference because everyone knows that the first movement against feudalism was launched by none other than [former prime minister and founder of the PPP] Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.”

He said that after ‘upgrading’ the health system in Sindh and ‘building facilities of international standards’ and providing free treatment to the people from across Pakistan, it was his ‘dream’ to develop education sector of Sindh on the same lines.

“I take it as a challenge that in next five years, if we are given another chance and elected by the people again, we will open a university in every single district of Sindh or at least a new campus in all districts of the province,” said Mr Bhutto-Zardari.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2022