Student politics: a brief history

[mujahideen]

Student politics: a brief history

By Nadeem F.Paracha

Before student unions were banned by the Ziaul Haq dictatorship in 1984, their activities were conducted through regular annual elections in universities and colleges.

Before student unions were banned by the Ziaul Haq dictatorship in 1984, their activities were conducted through regular annual elections in universities and colleges.

Student politics in Pakistan has had a tumultuous but rich democratic history.

Before student unions were banned by the Ziaul Haq dictatorship in 1984, their activities were conducted through regular annual elections in universities and colleges. Student parties that participated in these elections played an important role in looking after vital academic, cultural and political interests of the students. The following is a history seen through brief profiles of some of the country’s leading student parties:

National Students Federation (NSF)

One of the oldest progressive student organisations in Pakistan. Began as the student wing of the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP). Exhibited electoral supremacy in student union elections through the 1960s and early 1970s. Was at the forefront of the movement against the Ayub Khan dictatorship in 1968. Experienced a split in early 1960s when a pro-China faction broke away and formed the Democratic Students Federation (DSF). Electoral influence started to vain from 1973 onwards as another faction broke away and formed the Liberal Students Federation (LSF).

In the late 1970s and 1980s the NSF became part of the progressive electoral alliances, the United Students Movement (USM) in Karachi and the Progressive Students Alliance in Punjab. Currently the NSF has a small presence in a couple of colleges in Sindh, Punjab and Azad Kashmir.

Ideology: Marxist (1960s-70s); progressive (1980s-90s).

Famous former members: Miraj Mohammad Khan (former minister); Fatyab Ali Khan (politician); Raja Anwar (former minister/writer); Ammanullah (politician); Dr Haroon Ahmed (psychiatrist).

Islami-Jamiat-i-Taleba (IJT)

The student wing of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI). Repeatedly defeated by the NSF in student union elections in the 1960s. Gained electoral strength in the early 1970s and sustained the momentum through the decade. Played a significant role in the 1977 movement against the Z A Bhutto regime. Accused of introducing firearms in student politics when some members fired upon an NSF rally at the University of Karachi in 1979.

The IJT became more violent after student politics were banned in 1982 by Ziaul Haq. Eventually it lost ground in Karachi to the rise of the All Pakistan Muttehida Students Organisation (APMSO) in the late 1980s. It showed unimpressive performance in Punjab when student union elections were briefly revived by the first Benazir Bhutto government in 1989.A more populist faction broke away in early 1990s and formed Pasban.

Ideology: Islamist (1960s-70s-80s-90s-2000s).

Famous former members: Liaquat Baloch (former minister); Shaikh Rashid Ahmed (former minister); Mohammad Ali Durrani (former minister); Hussain Haqqani; Farid Paracha.

Peoples Students Federation (PSF)

The student wing of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Formed in 1972. Part of progressive students’ alliances, the USM and the PSA in the 1970s and 1980s. Exhibited electoral strength in interior Sindh and northern Punjab. Played a leading role in the anti-Zia agitation in the late 1970s and then again during the MRD movement in 1981 and 1983. Many members were flogged and tortured by the Zia regime. Currently the organising strength behind the PPP rallies.

Ideology: socialist (1970s); progressive (1980s-90s-2000s).

Famous former members: Jehangir Badar (former minister); Masroor Ahsan (former senator); Qasim Zia (former minister/hockey player); Salamullah Tipu (notorious radical).

All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation (APMSO)

Urban Sindh-based nationalist students’ group formed in 1978; in retrospect the student forerunner of the Muttahida and the Mohajir Qaumi Movement. Was part of the progressive students alliance, the USM, until becoming an independent force in 1988. Sidelined the IJT’s influence in Karachi. Still strong in Karachi.

Ideology: ethnic-socialist (1970s); militant-ethnic (1980s-90s); liberal (2000s).

Famous former members: Altaf Hussain (politician); Azeem Ahmed Tariq (former minister); Imran Farooq (politician); Dr Farooq Sattar (former minister).

Muslim Students Federation (MSF)

The student wing of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML). Supported Ayub Khan till 1965, but joined the NSF’s agitation against the Ayub regime in the late 1960s. Withered away in the 1970s before being revamped and revived in the late 1980s by the Zia-backed PML. Supported the Nawaz Sharif faction of the PML in the 1990s.

Ideology: populist (1960s); conservative (1970s-80s); populist-conservative (1990s-2000s).

Famous former members: Nawaz Sharif (former prime minister); Jawad Ahmed (pop singer).

Progressive Students Alliance (PSA)

Electoral alliance formed in late 1970s to counter the IJT’s rise in Punjab colleges and universities. Included the National Students Federation, Democratic Students Federation and the People’s Students Federation. Defeated the IJT in 1977 and 1978 student union elections in northern Punjab. Played the leading role in the anti-Zia movements at the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad in the 1980s. Dissolved in 1988.

Ideology: progressive/socialist

United Students Movement (USM)

An electoral student alliance formed in Karachi in 1979. Included the National Students Federation, the Democratic Students Federation, the People’s Students Federation, the All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation, the Baloch Students Organisation and the Pakhtoon Students Federation. Managed to route the IJT in the last student union elections held in Karachi in 1981. Survived as an anti-Zia/anti-IJT alliance throughout the 1980s; also worked against the militant Jeeay Sindh Students Federation (JSSF) and the pro-Zia Punjabi Students Federation.

Dissolved in 1990 after the APMSO left in 1988 and the PSF left it in 1989.

Ideology: progressive/socialist.

Smoker’s corner: Student politics: a brief history -DAWN Magazine; February 10, 2008

 

[A.Rahman]

Students should not be mixed in politics.

 

[mujahideen]

Students should not be mixed in politics.

I am not sure if I completly agree with you. You are right in the sense that student should focus on their studies and personally I wouldn't want my kids to get involved in politics while they are students. But at the same time every political party tries to win over the youths. The reason being the student are the future and the point is if you brain wash them early on they will in a sense be loyal to you in the future, its like investing in a bond, ou dont get results right away but in the long term they help you. Now another reason political parties appeal to the youth is because they are the ones who are in a sense more physically strong. The youth can protest all day they wont get tired, they have a lot of energy, and in Pakistan when gang wars happen between political parties these are their soldiers. In my opinion if I were a leader of a political party I would most certainly try to appeal to the youth the support my cause.

 

[umeed alam]

Students also have their own problems n if their will b no union then how their matters will b kept in front of the administration?

They should have union but they should not indulge themselves in politics.
Their are many peaceful ways of protesting n i think they should adopt them

 

[Rafael]

I think we should have proper political institutions where students can learn politics specifically, but only after completing their education.

 

[Communist]

Students must actively come to politics. But here I mean college and university students, not school students. A college student be it BA, BE, BCom or BCA, is an adult person who has the right of enfranchisement. Youth means students and the youth should get training by engaging themselves in politics, of course student politics which is confined within college or university campuses and oriented to the students' unionism. Otherwise no nation can get political awareness, because education does not stand for professionalism only, it also includes many things, and political awareness is one of them. Without student politics, a nation, or country or humanity will be doomed.

 

[Bane Blade]

Studen politics are always important for in a society where students will eventually go out to they will have to decide on what views they agree with and what ideology they believe in, a lot of the Unions of the universities are affected by the University students, but as in real life the Studen political groups will also have to heed caution for as we can see in the past a lot fo the mud thrown on MQM's actions have been commited by the APMSO Pakistani politics will be dealt with by the students for most revolutionary change is bought by students and Pakistan needs a lot of revolutionary change.

 

[kidwaibhai]

Students should be involved in politics because this is where the future leadership is going to come from. the reason why we have such leadership deficit on our hands is that the stupid policies of the Zia regime banned all the students groups.

 

[SSGPA1]

There shouldn't be any student pressure groups like APMSO, PSF and MSFetc.

Another great change credited to Musharraf govt. is the ban of such orgaizations!

In order to compensate for this ban, Musharraf govt. lowered the voting age to 18.

This makes perfect sense as students now have right to vote and there is no need for political student unions.

I am sure majority of parents must have been happy with this change BUT forgot to vote on 18th of Feb.

 

[SSGPA1]

Students should be involved in politics because this is where the future leadership is going to come from. the reason why we have such leadership deficit on our hands is that the stupid policies of the Zia regime banned all the students groups.

Since 1990 till ban from Musharraf, Students' political organizations were all over the country. Quite frankly these 10 to 11 years were the worst years for students all over Pakistan.

10 years are more then enough to get a decent political leadership but all Pakistan got was blood shed and torture.

Leadership will only come forward once political parties start holding party elections. BB's replacement is her husband and NS' replacement is SS!

 

[Bane Blade]

SS is not he replacement of NS Jawed Hashmi is it was elected by the parties CEC and another thing that 10 years with a few elections at best and a lot of ethnicity but atleast this warring was slowly and gradually removing hate because after a while almost everyone started to notice it was easier to live without all the problem creation. People don't change over night when Pakistani students go through the frustration of their daily lives they are bound to explode on minor issues and that is exactly what is troubling our nation and it will only be solved when people will be in groups but those groups will learn to accept each other which cannot be acheived by bans and restrictions.

 

[SSGPA1]

SS is not he replacement of NS Jawed Hashmi is it was elected by the parties CEC and another thing that 10 years with a few elections at best and a lot of ethnicity but atleast this warring was slowly and gradually removing hate because after a while almost everyone started to notice it was easier to live without all the problem creation. People don't change over night when Pakistani students go through the frustration of their daily lives they are bound to explode on minor issues and that is exactly what is troubling our nation and it will only be solved when people will be in groups but those groups will learn to accept each other which cannot be acheived by bans and restrictions.

When NS leaves Pakistan, SS is the acting president of PML(N) and not JH.

BTW, Javed Hashmi is an excellent politician.

Giving power in frustrated students' hand is a crime. There shouldn't be any students' politics ONLY students' Biryani

 

[Bane Blade]

Well unfortunately SS is not changing party rules he will remain president of the Muslim League N and not their elected presidential or prime ministerial candidate and Student Politics brings as it has been seen though it needs to be a bit more controlled.

 

[SSGPA1]

Well unfortunately SS is not changing party rules he will remain president of the Muslim League N and not their elected presidential or prime ministerial candidate and Student Politics brings as it has been seen though it needs to be a bit more controlled.

Pakistan doesn't need students in politics ... I have lost friends in political clashes who were members of different student groups ... there is no code of conduct or CONTROL when 18, 19 yrs have ammo in their hands ...

 

[Bane Blade]

What part of it needs a bit more controlled did you not get??????

Student politics are a very key part of society you can see my post above and read a bit of history.