KARACHI, June 3: A year after its revival, the Democratic Students Federation (DSF) held on Sunday its first convention in the city, bringing together journalists, students, patrons and party members to celebrate the memories of the late Mansoor Saeed.

Comrade Saeed became member of the Communist Party of Pakistan in 1974 of which he remained a part till his death in 2010.

The PMA House hall, where the event was held, was packed to capacity yet there was a feeling of optimism among all those present, overcoming the stifling and humid weather. All those present were asked to engage in the federation’s main objective: to bring back the balance of power to students in universities. Speaker after speaker laid emphasis on how the rights of students had been relegated to the back burner and politicking had taken over.

The panelists included Qamar Abbas, Comrade Imdad Qazi, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Pakistan, Sania Saeed, daughter of Mansoor Saeed, Shahram Azhar of the band, Lal, and Asar Imam.

One overzealous speaker lamented how terrorism had seeped into educational institutions and his heated words stirred up the crowd, comprising mostly DSF students.

Giving the reference of Comrade Saeed’s, “Galileo ki Dastan”, he quoted Galileo’s prophetic words, very much apt for the Pakistan existing today, that the nation that awaits a hero is the most unlucky of all nations.

Qamar Abbas of the DSF requested all the seniors present in the audience to aid in the education of the youth; their experience was considered invaluable.

He also discussed as to how the Kalashnikov culture, texting and the internet had usurped students’ time and attention that had compromised not only their individuality but also their capacity to fight for their rights.

He concluded that ever since Ziaul Haq’s period of uncertainty, students had regressed and at present they were left with empty minds and guns in their hands.

Then the importance of Left’s contribution to literary enlightenment in the country and the encouragement of reading habits in people were also discussed. This was followed by a brief session of revolutionary poetry.

Imdad Qazi, a close friend of Comrade Saeed, was keen to point out how in the name of professionalism, the sanctity of various institutions of society had been compromised. How the torchbearers of society, be it in the field of politics, education, journalism or even medicine, had laid down the high road for people to follow, yet to no avail as there could be seen a consistent decline in ethics in all walks of life. He summed up by highlighting the importance of not just education, but also morality and ethics, which in his opinion could be upheld best by the secular youth of today.