New law warns students against indulging ‘in any prejudicial activity in any manner’
After 38 years, Sindh became the first province in the country to lift the ban on student unions.
The Sindh Assembly on Friday unanimously passed the Sindh Student Union Bill to revive the student unions so as to promote an environment for social interaction and exchange of ideas and with restriction on violence and gun culture in educational institutions.
The ban was imposed throughout the country in 1984 by the regime of the military dictator General Ziaul Haq.
The importance of the student union can be gauged from a clause of the bill which 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.
The Sindh Student Union Bill was drafted in 2019 then referred to the standing committee on law and parliamentary affairs for deliberation and after two years of consultation with various stakeholders, the law was passed unanimously as treasury and opposition members supported it.
“The student unions and their activities will promote students’ success by offering a variety of programmes, activities, services and facilities that, when taken together, represent a plan for the development of community at university/college level,” read objectives of the bill presented by Sindh Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mukesh kumar Chawla.
“The student union will provide an environment for social interaction, education, and exchange of thoughts,” the bill said.
As for limiting the juvenile delinquency that accompany the groups of youth it said, “No person or student shall indulge in any prejudicial activity in any manner whatsoever within the premises of any educational institution or any other place connected with or related to educational institution.” Prejudicial activities are that which interrupt the normal functioning of any institute. The students unions have existed over all these decades. However, there have been no elections and proper functioning of these student bodies. Rather, the student unions became student wings of political parties and many fought armed battles with rivals leading to gun culture on campus. The Sindh Student Union Bill says there will be no chance for creating hatred amongst any group, class or students.
