Students Solidarity March is a political rally in support of demands of students that took place in Pakistan twice. First, on November 30, 2018 in Lahore, Islamabad and eight other cities of Pakistan, students rallies were held. Second time it took place on November 29, 2019 in 53 cities of Pakistan. This march was supported by Students Action Committee which was joined by many progressive organizations. The main demands were to increase in education budget, restoration and elections of student unions and democratic rights for students. Participants also strongly condemned occupation of their hostels by paramilitary forces and poor investigation of sexual harassment cases.
Background
Pakistan has vibrant history of student politics, Students were actively participating in students' union elections and played important role in looking after interests of students. In 1984, student unions were banned by the Ziaul Haq dictatorship. 1968 movement in Pakistan which later toppled Ayub Khan was initiated through student protest. According to Iqbal Haider Butt’s book, Revisiting Student Politics in Pakistan, In 1983's student union elections in Karachi all progressive and anti-dictatorship alliances swept the polls and then Sindh’s provincial Governor Lieutenant-General SM Abbasi warned Zia Ul Haq that due to student union, universities and colleges can once again become breeding grounds of anti-government agitation. After him students politics was allowed in country for a short time till they were again banned by Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1993. Judgement had banned politics within campus but had stressed for a platform where students may indulge in intellectual discussions and debates. Although all progressive students organizations were crushed but right-wing fascists organization like Islami Jamiat-i-Talba and Muslim Students Federation continue to furnish accompanied by ever-increasing amounts of support and patronage being given by Pakistani State. On commenting current situation of Students, famous left wing writer Lal Khan wrote, "Students in private and public educational institutions are facing harsh and oppressive administrations, expulsions, frequent penalties and fines, a suffocating environment, conservative curriculum and a very low standard of education. The ethos students are being taught are selfishness, competition and careerism. How can they become healthy members of society? Decline in culture, crimes, drugs, lumpenisation and alienation is an expression of this. Let us not forget that it was during Zia’s rule that the ‘Kalashnikov culture’ and sectarian tensions were implanted in student politics".. Government of Pakistan is cutting funding for schools and universities and there is substantial increase in education expenses. Sexual harassment is on rise, students are being subjected to unnecessary "policing" by law enforcement agencies and students voice is being crushed. On campus Cases like Lynching of Mashal Khan, rape and murder of medical student Nimrita Kumari. and murder of several students at campus depicts harsh realities.One of March organizer put reason of march is following words;
''We are marching on November 29 to organise and to seek institutional power in universities and create a way of holding onto that power. It’s our education — we should control it.
Students Solidarity March 2018
Student Solidarity march 2018 held successfully in more than 50 cities of Pakistan which was joined by thousands of Students, academics, politicians, activists and civil society supporters. Many notable personalities like Iqbal Lala, Ammar Rashid, Bushra Gohar, Ali Usman Qasmi, Jalila Haider, Nida Kirmani, Jibran Nasir, Farooq Tariq, Lal Khan and other also joined and expressed their solidarity with students. The Charter of Demands presented by students in march included restoring student unions, student representation in decision-making on campuses, functional sexual harassment policies on campuses, freezing the fee hikes, increasing the budgetary allowing for education to 5% of GDP and improving the quality of research and teaching.
Students Solidarity March 2019
The Students' Solidarity March 2019 insists that the government must ensure the following:
Lift the ban and hold elections for student unions
Abandon privatisation of educational institutes, and reverse a recent decision of school and college fee hike
Pakistan International Students Alliance, Laila Tauqeer, President of the Harvard College Pakistani Students Association, Hamza Tariq Chaudhry, President of the Pakistan Development Society at the London School of Economics and other also expressed solidarity and wrote open letter to Government of Pakistan urging to fulfill demands of students.
Aftermath
Successful Student Solidarity March sparked a debate on students movement, slogan of March “Surkh hoga, surkh hoga – Asia surkh hoga! boomed students of all country. Sindh province announced to lift the ban on student unions in the province. Lahore police registered cases against the organizers and participants including Ammar Ali Jan, Farooq Tariq, Iqbal Lala, Alamgir Wazir, Mohammad Shabbir and Kamil Khan.
