Pakistani Minister Supports Revocation of Ban on Students’ Union Amid Countrywide Protests

New Delhi (Sputnik): Students and members of civil society in 40 cities across Pakistan are taking part in a Students Solidarity March on Friday demanding the revocation of a 35-year-old ban on students’ unions. Students are fighting to reclaim their right to practice diplomacy, debate, politics, and leadership.

Against the backdrop of the Solidarity March, Pakistan's government has come out in support of students. Pakistan's Science and Technology Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said in a tweet: “I fully support restoration of students unions, ban on students unions is anti-democratic, we can always ensure that students’ politics must remain violence free and regulations may be introduced for smooth functioning but ban on students politics amounts to limit future politics".

Students have been raising a host of issues including the involvement of the army in politics and repealing a ban on campus politics. From being able to question the authorities for better facilities in campuses to inculcating decision-making skills among future leaders, these are just a few reasons stated regarding the importance of unions by students.

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​Student unions and campus politics were outlawed in Pakistan in 1984 by former president General Zia-ul-Haq, and now, 35 years later, they are protesting against the ban.

Friday’s Solidarity March has been described as a first steps towards a larger agitation by activists. Ever since the beginning of talks about a Solidarity March, universities stopped stopped handing out degrees for the organisers and the government even issued letters to the universities about the ban on campus politics.