After a hiatus of 38 years, Sindh became the first province to restore students unions in educational institutions when it passed The Sindh Students Union Bill, 2019 on Friday.
Former General Zia ul Haq imposed the ban on students unions in 1984 when the country was under martial law.
Hailing the Sindh government's move, historian Ammar Ali Jan felicitated "those students who stood up for their rights despite intimidation" and said "similar legislation is needed in other provinces".
The educator, Meraj Hasan, however, expressed his reservations on working of students unions, saying they won't work effectively "unless political parties, all of them, agree to keep violence off campus".
Under the new Act, unanimously passed by treasury and opposition benches in the Sindh Assembly, students would be able to choose their representatives. This will create an environment for social interaction and exchange of ideas and with restriction on violence and gun culture in educational institutions, lawmakers said. Strikes and boycott of classes were also restricted in universities.
A clause of the bill states that the educational institution shall have at least one nominee of the elected union in its syndicate and senate board with a committee for protection against harassment.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah felicitated the House for passing the bill and thanked the opposition who supported the treasury benches in the process. Shah said perhaps he was among few members of the Sindh Assembly who had witnessed a bright era of students unions in their life.
It is pertinent to mention that many believe the ban on students unions affected growth of young generation by abandoning the culture of discussion on diverse topics and extra-curricular activities.
In related news, a sit-in by university students outside the Punjab Assembly entered the fourth day on Saturday as students demanded the provincial government to revoke ban on the students' unions in the province.
Students also held a candle light vigil in front of the Punjab Assembly to mark the fourth death anniversary of human rights champion Asma Jahangir.
