SHANZE HASAN ’21
Pakistani students, activists and supporters of the Student Action Committee (SAC) took to the streets of Lahore and other cities in Pakistan on Friday, Nov. 29 as part of the Student Solidarity March. The demonstrators’ list of demands called for the restoration of student unions and the improvement of educational facilities.
For the past 35 years, student unions have been outlawed in Pakistan. According to Dawn News, a Pakistani newspaper, this has been enforced in several universities by requiring students to sign an affidavit confirming that they will not get involved in any political activity on campus. This ban was imposed during the dictatorship of former President Zia-ul-Haq, who feared the opposition to his regime by discontented students.
“I’m surprised this protest did not take place earlier,” Maha Ahmed ’21 said. “It’s shocking to know that students have been oppressed from expressing themselves politically all these years.”
The increasing violence among student groups during the 1980s led Zia to believe that the education system had become highly politicized and was crumbling. Student involvement in politics was banned during this period in hopes of returning peace to educational institutions.
In addition to the reinstatement of student unions and the expansion of facilities, protesters demanded a 10 percent increase in the education budget, democratic student rights and administration transparency, according to the Daily Times, a Pakistani newspaper.
The march took place in 50 cities across the country, which was decided by the Progressive Students Collective (PSC) who shared the locations via Twitter, according to Dawn News.
At Karachi Press Club, roughly 400 protestors chanted slogans, delivered speeches and held up banners and posters. “Hum kya chahte? Azaadi!” (What do we want? Freedom!) was one of the most popular slogans used by the participants.
According to Dawn News, protesters advocated for transgender students’ rights in addition . “I was ecstatic to see transgender students coming forward to participate.” Zineb Takafi 23 said. “Transgender [students] have been struggling for their safety for years and it’s so important to raise light to this issue.”
The march gained support from various political parties as well such as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). “The PPP has always supported student unions,” PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tweeted. “The restoration of student unions by SMBB was purposely undone to depoliticize society.”