Students, activists, and supporters all across Pakistan participated in the “Student Solidarity March” held on Friday, led by the Student Action Committee (SAC), to request the restoration of student unions that have been banned since 1984 and improvement of educational facilities.
The Progressive Students Collective (PSC) tweeted the final locations of the march which was taking place in 50 different cities of Pakistan. According to the tweet, in some cities, the march started in the morning, while in other cities, it was scheduled in the afternoon.
Final locations of #StudentsSolidarityMarch organised by Students Action Committee today.
Lahore
Istanbul Chowk to Punjab Assembly
2.00 pmIslamabad
Press Club to D-Chowk
2.00 pmRawlakot
A) Degree college to Zaheer Chowk
10.30 am
B) Poonch University to Main Road
11.00 am— PSC (@PSCollective_) November 29, 2019
Karachi:
The march started in Karachi in the afternoon before 3 pm when students, their parents, and lawyers gathered at the Regal Chowk, opposite to the electronic market in Saddar and marched towards the Atrium Mall. Their aim was to reach the Karachi Press Club. Prominent members of the civil society including Jibran Nasir and Mohammad Hanif also participated in the march alongside the students. The students were dressed in black and most of them had red dupattas around their necks.
When the march reached the Fatima Jinnah Road the Atrium Mall, the shopkeepers started closing down their shops. The participants then started moving towards the Karachi Press Club and approximately 400 people gathered outside the Press Club and started raising slogans like “Hum kya chaahte? Aazaadi!” and also delivered speeches. While talking to the media Jibran Nasir said, “I have come to support our country’s future. Students are our future. We must realize that our future will never be bright if we keep on lighting monuments of the past. Any real and new leadership that comes forth in the country, will not cross through the corridors of Aabpaara and Pindi. It will come from colleges and universities.”
A new generation of leaders will not come the way of Aabpara and Rawalpindi. It will come from our colleges and universities. Speaking with @dawn_com at #StudentsSolidarityMarch #Karachi pic.twitter.com/ILP8AtsEkc
— M. Jibran Nasir (@MJibranNasir) November 29, 2019
#StudentsSolidarityMarch in Karachi Press Club…
پا بہ جولان چلو مست و رقصاں چلو pic.twitter.com/Cw0tZpsVat— #StudentsSolidartyMarch (@SindhiBeing) November 29, 2019
The participants had several demands like provision of quality and performance-based education in all educational institutions, ending racial, religious and gender-based profiling of students, revoking recent tax increases, restoration of HEC’s budgets, setting up the constitution of legal committees for cases of sexual harassment with the representation of students, and lifting the ban on student unions.
People on Twitter also showed their support towards the march.
Civilized nations can make quick progress and without education it can't be possible….#Me_Hun_ISF#StudentsSolidarityMarch pic.twitter.com/61AlhKWGiV
— Asfandyar Jamal (@JamalAsfandyar) November 29, 2019
Bay’shak…. all power to you…with you in soul and spirit pic.twitter.com/znfbIs6Qq0 #StudentsSolidarityMarch
— Nasim Zehra (@NasimZehra) November 29, 2019
Ban on student unions, militarization of campuses in the name of security & institutionalization of security worldview had stunted the growth of healthy polity & society.
Without student unions universities will remain fiefdoms of few un-accountables.#StudentsSolidarityMarch— Manzoor Pashteen (@manzoorpashteen) November 29, 2019
Militarization of campuses is not just one problem in pashtunkhwa but a physical control and existence of military in collages and universities, making scarcity of rooms, space & an environment of anxiety. We demand of relinquishment of these possession#StudentsSolidarityMarch pic.twitter.com/qPUxAranYI
— AlamZaib Khan Mahsud (@AlamZaibPK) November 29, 2019
Faced intimidation & propaganda in lead up to the march. Today we gave our response on streets of Lahore and across Pakistan.
This is the beginning. Together, we will continue expanding our work for social and economic rights. I am certain we will win.
#StudentsSolidarityMarch pic.twitter.com/LRnjRXmgd6— Ammar Ali Jan (@ammaralijan) November 29, 2019
Several political leaders also showed their support towards the Student Solidarity March.
I fully support Restoration of students unions, ban on students unions is anti democratic,we can always ensure that students politics must remain violence free and regulations may be introduced for smooth functioning but ban on students politics amounts to limit future politics
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 29, 2019
The PPP has always supported Student unions. The restoration of student unions by SMBB was purposely undone to depoliticize society. Today students are marching in the #StudentSolidarityMarch for the restoration of unions, implementation of right to education, 1/2
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) November 29, 2019
end to privatization of public universities, implementation of sexual harassment legislation, right to student housing & the demilitarization of campuses. The spirit of activism and yearning for peaceful democratic process from a new generation of students is truly inspiring. 2/2
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) November 29, 2019
I want to be a student again! #StudentsSolidarityMarch https://t.co/VMf7isFEhI
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) November 29, 2019
Students must have a voice in students affairs for higher education to thrive. Student unions are nurseries for leadership. All political parties should evolve consensus for restoration of student unions #StudentsSolidarityMarch. pic.twitter.com/3s5IzUfqFw
— Nafisa Shah (@ShahNafisa) November 29, 2019