Student Unions in Pakistan

The PM of Pakistan earlier announced the revival of student unions in Pakistan, which were banned for many years. Despite being banned, people of Pakistan are very much aware of the student wings of different political parties in the country which were never dormant. To clarify what exactly is a Student Union and what are the aims and objectives of having one, I googled a few keywords and came with several results, all similar. In the ‘About Us’ section of one such Union in a US University I found this:

It’s about getting more out of your time at Uni. It’s about immersing yourself in a wealth of cultural facilities and events whilst having access to quality support services. It’s about making sure that students have advocacy and representation on campus. It’s all about the battle to keep student voices in the big picture whilst making your time at Uni fun and enjoyable.

The Student Union is a diverse and exciting place supporting all students from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. It does this through cultural events, activism and direct support through services.

So having a student union sounds like a good thing, and its not something unique in Pakistan. But wait! The above mentioned union (in US) doesn’t claim to be either a Democrat or a Republican. In other words, it is not politicized. It’s independent!

Contrasting to this, all the student unions in Pakistan are either affiliated to some political party and/or are part of the youth wing of a political party. This means implanting the top-level dirty politics to the level of students. The students who are part of these unions, in majority, are not even close to the academic level for which they joined the University; killing the very reason for which they were admitted. It is a fact that most students join unions because of the power the unions possess. The power that enables students to bully others and get away with it. The power that allows them to pass the exams without having to open the books. And the power (of weapons) which they can use to demand respect.

The result of political student unions have been deadly. Many students have lost lives in these bloody clashes that goes without check. How many students have been punished for beating and killing their fellow students? (It doesn’t matter if the victim belongs to the opposite party).

While student unions can serve and strengthen the cause of students in an academic institute, it is not the right time for their revival. It is imperative that the system of education be improved first in which education goes first rather than the power of (dirty) politics.