LAHORE: Hundreds of students of various educational institutes on Tuesday observed black day in protest against the ban on student unions.

The students gathered outside the press club to observe black day commemorating the imposition of the ban on student unions on Feb 9, 1984, by Gen Ziaul Haq. The students held placards and banners inscribed with slogans in favour of restoration of student unions. They chanted slogans against dictator Gen Zia for snatching the rights of students some 36 years ago.

The students included activists of the Progressive Student Collective (PSC), Baloch Council, Seraiki Council, Pakhtun Council, Gilgit-Baltistan students, Kashmiris, Revolutionary Students, Baloch Student Organisation and People’s Students Federation.

In 1988, Benazir Bhutto lifted the ban on student unions and elections were held in 1989, but that was just a one-off thing. However, the Supreme Court also prohibited the formation of student unions in 1993 and called for a proper mechanism if the government wanted to revive them.

The successive governments did not take any step for the revival of student politics by taking shelter under the court verdict. The students demand immediate restoration of student unions to provide a platform to students to register their voice.

They demanded restoration of the budget for the Higher Education Commission, end to the layoffs of academics, allocation of five per cent of the GDP for education, nationalisation of educational institutions and withdrawal of the recent fee hike.

They also demanded the establishment of committees in all the educational institutes to investigate cases of sexual harassment as well as ensuring representation of students on these committees.

Other demands include the removal of offices of security forces from campuses, end to undue checking and expulsion from universities.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2021