HYDERABAD: Six students organisations have announced formation of Hyderabad Students Alliance on Sunday to advocate the cause of harassment against women and raise in fees in universities.

The component organisations of alliance included Revolutionary Students Front, Progressive Students Federation, Sindhi Students Organisation, Sindhi Shagird Tehreek, Progressive Students Collective and National Students Federation.

Speaking at a press conference at local press club, students’ representatives Nawab Chandio, Saghar Sarvech, Wijdan Siyal, Sami Abro, Ansari Baghi and Altaf Hussain said that alliance would advocate cause of students.

Alliance’s convenor Nawab Chandio said that present class-based education system had completely failed in the country and it was evident from anti-students and anti-education decisions. He said that education sector had been ignored constantly and added that rulers had increased their own perks and privileges, but education sector was completely ignored.

He said no student could raise voice against injustice and students were excluded from politics and ideological debates.

Demanding ban lift on students’ unions, he said that Gen Zia banned them, and Sindh government announced of lifting ban, but it could not be lifted.

He demanded withdrawal of fee hike in varsities and added hostel services should be provided in varsities and affiliated law colleges in Karachi and Hyderabad.

He maintained that Karachi Student Policy should be revoked and number of universities should be increased in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said educational institutions should be nationalised to ensure free education. He called for forming committees against harassment of female students.

HRCP moot on activists’ rights violation

Asking civil society to unite, rights activists have said that national and international laws don’t allow violence against anyone, and political activists were subjected to mental torture who remained under psychological pressure.

Speaking at a meeting held under the aegis of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan to mark International Day in Support of Victims of Torture at local press club on Sunday, the commission’s regional coordinator, Prof Imdad Chandio, said that investigations were second name of torture in police stations which was illegal and inhuman. He said that awareness needed to be created among people so that they could raise voice against such injustice.

Dr Eshwar said that Comrade Jam Saqi was tortured to force him to give up his ideology. He said that detainees were tortured during probe and added that those returning from custody must be given a patient hearing.

Writer, Taj Joyo said that Pakistan topped the list of 36 countries where enforced disappearances were reported. He said political activists remained missing in the country for years and their heirs don’t get justice in courts.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2022