LAHORE: “Political violence in educational institutions has increased because of the ban on student unions”, recently elected Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba Nazim-i-Ala Muhammad Zubair Hafeez said at a seminar on Sunday.
He said student unions had provided national leaders in many countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, USA, the UK and Russia.
He demanded that the government lift the ban on student unions, and draft a code of conduct for unions. Other speakers said the ban had resulted in decline of education standards and observance of democratic norms.
Speakers also said student unions had been banned by General Ziaul Haq 30 years ago on February 9 but the present government was still afraid of lifting the ban.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2014.