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A brief appraisal of the arguments of proponents of Student Unions in Pakistan.
#StudentsSolidarityMarch
1. “Banning Unions makes universities unsafe”
There is zero campus violence in universities such as NUST, PIEAS, Bahria, NDU where there is complete ban on unions and groups.
#StudentsSolidarityMarch
1. “Banning Unions makes universities unsafe”
There is zero campus violence in universities such as NUST, PIEAS, Bahria, NDU where there is complete ban on unions and groups.
2. “Ahsan Iqbal & Jahangir Badar were from middle-class families & rose through unions”
...and went on to join PMLN & PPP. Since Pakistan does not enforce a money cap on election spending, you cannot compete with the elite. Your choice: either top parties or 2nd/3rd tier ones.
...and went on to join PMLN & PPP. Since Pakistan does not enforce a money cap on election spending, you cannot compete with the elite. Your choice: either top parties or 2nd/3rd tier ones.
3. “Unions will make universities accountable to students”
For that you will need to show that unions will be democratic. As Ammar Ali Jan himself said, unions are like parliament and groups are like political parties. They’re different but inseparable.
For that you will need to show that unions will be democratic. As Ammar Ali Jan himself said, unions are like parliament and groups are like political parties. They’re different but inseparable.
3. How will you keep political parties from using money, influence and violence to manipulate elections? This is the structural flaw with our democracy. Any action against them will be deemed “authoritarian” and “political victimization”.
4. “Unions will bash hereditary politics”
Most of our population lives in rural areas. Unions will at best produce leaders from urban city centres. They will have no power, money or influence against feudal elite in rural areas. Alternative exists. See end of thread.
Most of our population lives in rural areas. Unions will at best produce leaders from urban city centres. They will have no power, money or influence against feudal elite in rural areas. Alternative exists. See end of thread.
5. “Campuses were safe before unions were banned”
This is a myth. Jiye Sindh terrorized campuses in Sindh in Bhutto era. PSF and NSF were at loggerheads. Then there was violence unleashed by IJT. Violence did increase after 84, but campuses werent “safe” before either.
This is a myth. Jiye Sindh terrorized campuses in Sindh in Bhutto era. PSF and NSF were at loggerheads. Then there was violence unleashed by IJT. Violence did increase after 84, but campuses werent “safe” before either.
5. Then again, this isnt 1968. Realities are different today. The proponents of Unions have literally no plan to counter violent groups. You ban them you give them an opportunity to become “political victims”
6. “Unions give much-needed political training”
Alternatives exist. Youth wings, MUNs, student councils, societies. Let us not copy paste statistics from American universities like Ammar Rashid does and superimpose them on Pakistan ignoring our socio-political reality.
Alternatives exist. Youth wings, MUNs, student councils, societies. Let us not copy paste statistics from American universities like Ammar Rashid does and superimpose them on Pakistan ignoring our socio-political reality.
7. “Our universities are academically terrible due to ban on unions”
Another of Ammar Rashid’s non-sequiturs. Our Higher education woes are not simply due to ban on unions. Low budget is the primary cause. Currently, if unions strike, it will only increase clampdown.
Another of Ammar Rashid’s non-sequiturs. Our Higher education woes are not simply due to ban on unions. Low budget is the primary cause. Currently, if unions strike, it will only increase clampdown.
7. NUST and PIEAS have been Pakistan’s top universities for some time now. Both have complete ban. PIEAS was at 397 in QS rankings this year. NUST 417. Both improved from 2018 and 2017. We need an alternative to strikes.
8. “Unions will control violence of political groups”
See #3. You have no plan to keep political parties from using violence/money/influence. How will you insulate the unions from this? If you ban groups it will be like Zia’s parliament w/o parties. They wont accept it.
See #3. You have no plan to keep political parties from using violence/money/influence. How will you insulate the unions from this? If you ban groups it will be like Zia’s parliament w/o parties. They wont accept it.
9. “Universities are producing docile, meek, apolitical students in absence of unions”
This is coming from those people who regularly call Insafians “Youthiya”. You wouldnt need to coin it if youth was really apolitical. To AWP, the only ‘good’ students are non-PTI.
This is coming from those people who regularly call Insafians “Youthiya”. You wouldnt need to coin it if youth was really apolitical. To AWP, the only ‘good’ students are non-PTI.
Way forward: Join and strengthen youth wings. Make political parties more democratic instead of giving the hereditary elite an entry into universities. You will notice that youth wings keep out of each other’s way. Think about that. Even through Unions this is where you'll end up
I endorse most of the demands of the protesters. Except this. You have a formal democracy. MNAs who are to be held accountable. If formal democracy doesn’t exist, then don’t stand for next elections either.
Fin.
Fin.
