one positive statement coming from Bilawal Zardari was his plea to the Sindh and AJK governments to lift the ban on student unions. All those who cherish the well-being of the student community must welcome this statement.

However, at the fag-end of their existence, the student unions had become the student wings of political parties and, instead of looking into student problems and their resolution, they were advancing the agenda of one political party or the other and leading the students away from their main duty of studying diligently.

If the student unions are restored, care must be taken that they do not become slaves again of political parties.

Justice (r) Salahuddin Mirza

Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2016