LAHORE: The Pakistan Peoples Party’s south Punjab chapter has appointed Tahir Khan Buzdar as the president of the People’s Student Federation (PSF), south Punjab.

According to a notification issued by PPP South Punjab President Syed Ahmad Mahmud, Mr Buzdar, a resident of Dera Ghazi Khan, is appointed PSF head on the recommendation of the provincial organisation. Mr Buzdar is a student of Mphil in Ghazi University, DG Khan.

The notification said the new office-bearer was expected to perform his duties in the best interest of the party with devotion and dedication.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Buzdar said he was obliged that the party’s senior leadership trusted his abilities to represent youth.

He said that he had been working as a member of PSF since 2008 and also remained president of PSF, DG Khan division.

He said that the students were facing problems in schools, colleges and universities and no government or administration of any educational institute would give representation to students on decision making bodies.

He said he would motivate students to gather over education issues. He said the fee hike in all public institutions had made education impossible for lower middle and poor classes.

He said private institutions were `robbing’ parents and students on fee issue. He said students would press for the revival of unions in all public and private institutions of the country so that their representatives could sit in Senate and syndicate bodies.

People’s Youth Organisation (PYO) Central Senior Vice President Chaudhry Sultan Mahmood congratulated Mr Buzdar on his appointment and said student politics would strengthen democracy in Pakistan.

He said history had shown that student leaders had played an important role in the country’s politics and all political parties should take measures, like the PPP, to strengthen democratic participation within their organisations.

Mr Mahmood said the youth and students associated with the PPP were “protectors of democracy”, adding that party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari also represented the youth.

He urged young people and students to strengthen genuine youth leadership in the country, saying youth and students could play an important role in resolving the country’s problems.

Pakistan had a prolonged restriction on student unions. General Zia imposed a ban on student unions in 1984. The ban was briefly lifted in 1989 during the first Benazir Bhutto government but was subsequently restored following a Supreme Court order.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2026