By; Hamza Shahzad
There is no denying important role that student unions have played in the democratic process worldwide. They arise of their times and statuses to defend the ultimate educational rights and privileges of the students.
Before partition, Pakistan had a vibrant student union culture. University cafeterias and tea shops were breeding grounds for most contemporary political parties shaping their original beliefs. These student unions also served as centers for debate even for pro-partition citizens, acting as they played the role of intermediaries to ensure the youth’s interests would be represented in policymaking.
Over time, however, student unions became opportunities for political parties and other entities to influence the minds of young individuals and sow discord between institutions. Consequently, student unions are now often perceived as recalcitrant anti-state groups. In Pakistan, many universities require incoming students to sign undertakings against affiliating with any student body other than those permitted by the institution itself. Which, some see as an unfair restriction on students’ freedom of expression regarding their political identity.
As Balochistan is an ethnically diverse province, student politics is heavily influenced by two major ethnicities, Baloch and Pashtuns, with a large following in student unions. Balochistan’s first student union, Warna Waninda Gal (Youth Education Forum) was formed in 1961, with Abdul Hakeem Baloch as the first president. Later, in 1967, YEF merged with another independent student group, the Baloch Students Educational Organization (BSEO) of Karachi to form the Baloch Student Organization (BSO). BSO’s primary aim was to campaign against the One-Unit system and demand provincial autonomy for Balochistan. However, due to tribal and political influences, BSO split into many factions. Major Baloch student groups that emerged from this fragmentation include BSO-Pajjar (Affiliated with the National party), BSO-Mengal (Affiliated with BNP-M), BSO-Zareef Group, BSO-Azad and BSAC. Other prominent Ethnic-Political Student wings include the Pashtun Student Organization (PSO- PKMAP), the Hazara Student Federation (HSF-HDP).
Universities in Balochistan have historically been breeding grounds for student organizations, often uniting different ideological and political backgrounds under one platform to work towards the educational and political betterment of students. These unions acted as a bridge between students and university administrations. However, when student wings engaged in anti-academic activities that disrupted the educational environment, student unions became seen as problematic. For instance, the University of Balochistan exposed a terrorist network involving a student wing attempting to recruit students into terrorist organizations, leading to on-campus violence and ethnic tensions. Often clashes erupted between two ethnic student wings at UOB following the clashes; students forcefully close the university, causing both academic and financial damage to other students. This trend now is being followed by other universities as well, last year, another student wing, having religious thoughts, openly clashed with another ethnic student organization at BUITEMS. In 1970’s the same Islamist group was known as Thunder Group at Karachi University due to their violent behaviour towards other student organizations. In the recent past, a faction of the Baloch ethnic student organization had a clash with a student wing of the Pashtun nationalist party in QAU and dozens of students from both sides got severe injuries. Such incidents have created a sequence of events in public universities where troublemakers disrupt discipline, get expelled from university, receive political support, and then return to the universities.
The primary purpose of a student union has always been to address student problems and contribute to the prosperity of educational Institutions by collaborating with the administration. Student unions and organizations should act as a watchdog for educational Institutions and facilitate the communiqué between students and management. Instead of engaging in violence and anti-state activities, these unions should inspire political involvement among youth and develop an ethos of recognition, consideration and acceptance among different ethnic groups.
To curb such ethnic extremism among student organizations, it would be relevant to bid some hands-on ideas. Firstly, Universities like UOB and BUITEMS need strong management, which can be achieved by limiting political interference. Secondly, the state should monitor educational institutions carefully, punishing administrative staff with soft corners for radicals. Universities must work with Counter-terrorism authorities and law enforcement agencies to frame a policy for countering radicalism. Educational institutes should be shielded from political influence and politicians should refrain from interfering in University matters. Any student who violates discipline must be punished severely. If any student is involved in anti-state activities or ethnic extremism, he must be dealt with iron hands. Last but not least, law enforcement agencies must help university administrations break the grip of ethnic and religious extremists on campus.
