Summary Marchers asked for ending cuts on universities' fund and setting up committee to control harassment.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Protests in various cities of country held in order to restore student unions in educational institutions. As per details, members of civil society besides of students took parts in the protests.
In federal capital, students protested in big number and vowed to carry on until student unions are restored. Students besides this also asked for reducing fees.
In Lahore, students marched from Nasir Bagh to Punjab Assembly in solidarity with student unions. Interestingly not only students but workers of various political parties, lawyers, social activists and even members of transgender took part in the protest. Marchers asked for ending cuts on universities fund and setting up committee to control sexual harassment.
Students in Peshawar were also in action as they took part in protest demanding restoration of student unions. Protesters chanted slogans against privatization of educational institutions.
Protest was also held in Hyderabad to express devotion for student politics. Marchers took out rally which ended at press club. Like other cities, students were out on roads in Mirpur Khas where students of various educational institutions protested against the ban. People from various walks of life including representatives of civil society were in gathering.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while paying tribute to the new generation students said that the spirit of activism and yearning for peaceful democratic process from a new generation of students is truly inspiring.
The PPP chairman took to the twitter to show his support for the student unions.
end to privatization of public universities, implementation of sexual harassment legislation, right to student housing & the demilitarization of campuses. The spirit of activism and yearning for peaceful democratic process from a new generation of students is truly inspiring. 2/2
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) November 29, 2019
He said: “The PPP has always supported Student unions. The restoration of student unions by SMBB was purposely undone to depoliticize society. Today students are marching in the #StudentSolidarityMarch for the restoration of unions, implementation of right to education.”
The PPP chairman further said, “End to privatization of public universities, implementation of sexual harassment legislation, right to student housing & the demilitarization of campuses. The spirit of activism and yearning for peaceful democratic process from a new generation of students is truly inspiring.”
Earlier today, students took out protest rallies and staged demonstrations against a ban on unions across the country. Rallies were taken out in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore.
On the other hand, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry also expressed his support for student unions in educational institutes.
The federal minister took to Twitter to show his support for the demand being raised, as long as the student union’s behavior is kept under a close watch.
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
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 29, 2019
The Tweet read: “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.”
