KARACHI: Governor Imran Ismail on Wednesday signed the Sindh Students’ Union Restoration Bill passed recently by the provincial assembly.

“The students unions are entrusted with the responsibility to work for social and academic welfare of students and to ensure protection of rights and interests of all students,” he said in a statement issued from the Governor House.

“Besides promoting and strengthening relations between students and educational institutions, students’ unions will also facilitate organisation of cultural, intellectual and other extracurricular activities to make them responsible citizens,” he said, adding: “With the restoration of students’ union, students would play a positive role to assist the educational institutions in maintaining discipline and ensure respect for teachers and staff of the educational institutions.”

In a historic development, the Sindh Assembly last month unanimously passed the Sindh Students Union Bill 2019 paving way for restoration of students’ unions in educational institutions after over 38 years.

The ban on students’ unions was imposed in 1984 during the regime of Gen Ziaul Haq. It was lifted during the Benazir Bhutto-led Pakistan Peoples Party’s first government in 1989, but in 1993 the Supreme Court put a blanket ban on political activities by students on campuses.

Sindh will be the first province to revive the students’ union after the enactment of the law. As per the passed bill, the students’ union shall work for maintaining social and academic welfare of students; ensure that rights and interests of all students are suitably represented and protected; oppose and bring to light any discrimination or injustice that obstructs the social and academic life of students; and ensure democratic and inclusive atmosphere for healthy debate that respects others’ opinions.

The bill said that no person or student shall indulge in any prejudicial activity in any manner whatsoever within the premises of any educational institution or any other place connected with or related to any educational institution.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2022