SWAT: College students stage a protest here on Wednesday against the ban on student unions and demanded their immediate restoration.

Different groups of students marched in the Mingora Bazaar and later gathered in front of Swat Press Club.

Holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands, the students also chanted slogans against the ban on their unions.

The Islami Jamiat Talaba organised a protest led by Naeem Khan, Ziaullah and Saheeb Khan.

The second protest was organised by Revolutionary Students Federation led by Dr Khalid Mahmood, Fazal Mabood, Sangeen Khan, Abdul Malik and Ajab Khan.

The protesters said student unions in colleges and universities were banned during the martial law of late Gen Ziaul Haq in 1984. “It is our constitutional right to establish organisations and take part in political activities,” said a protesting student, adding formation of all kinds of unions was still banned in the country, depriving the students of their constitutional and democratic rights.

They said in democratic societies everyone could freely take part in elections and politics, adding Pakistan had a long history of student politics. “Till 1984 students took active part in student union elections and played role in ensuring better environment in the educational institutions,” another student said.

They demanded of the government to lift restrictions on the student unions and allow elections in the educational institutions for formation of such bodies.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2022