March 26, 2006

Karachi, Pakistan.  

On the platform of World Social Forum 2006, ActionAid Pakistan under its youth portfolio conducted a seminar entitled "Youth and Politics". Various aspects of students' movements and the role of these movements in national politics was discussed and highlighted in the seminar.

The seminar was addressed by Mr.Aamir Riaz (Editor Awami Jamhoori Forum),Mrs.Fouzia Wahab (MNA ,PPP),Hasil Bazanjo (General Secretary of National Party and Ex–Student Leader (BSO),Ms.Maryam Palijo (Leader of Sindhiani Tehreek) and Mr.Kaiser Bengali (Political Economist and Ex-Student Leader ,Karachi University).They pointed out that the students movements in the Indo-Pak subcontinent first started with the emergence of "All India Students Federation" which held its first session in 1936 in Luknow.

Students movements played a vital role during the Pakistan movement as at that time they involved students in the national politics and student politics was combined with national politics. After the making of Pakistan the leaders and politicians suddenly shifted their priorities and now they suggested that the students should be kept out of national politics and should remain in the campuses.

Mr. Hasil pointed out that according to the history of Asia and Africa, students' politics only came at the front when colonialization started breaking. He said that in Pakistan after the decline of early students' movements such as MSF (Muslim Students Federation) two new students movements came up namely BSO (Baloch Students Organization) and PSF (Pukhtoon Students Federation). A new phase of students movements started after Bhuttos regime and new divisions and subdivisions were introduced in students' politics. The most important question that arises at this stage is that when and how the weapons came into the hands of these students. The student organizations kept changing shapes and the subdivisions kept growing on the basis of ethnic identities such as BSO and PSF.BSO played a vital role in protesting against the military operations in Balochistan.

He further said that weapons were provided to the students under a well planned strategy of the government as they wanted to control and tap down these students movements and the only way to achieve this goal was to make them fight first and then to tap them down on the basis that they should not be involved in national politics and they should only remain inside the campuses. This decision of the governments and the ruling class adversely affected the role of students in Politics which was peaceful in the past but after the negative exploitation by the political parties it became hostile and violent.

Today the students are not aware of the importance of political dialogue and they are unaware of the importance of politics because there is no healthy dialogue on politics these days. The students in Universities don talk about politics and the future of the nation but they are wasting their time in useless and target less activities. Healthy politics and peaceful political dialogue is very important for development and restoration of democracy in the country.

The demise of several students' movements and the accompanying death of social-political activism, and even consciousness, resulted in no viable political option for youth than the Green Card and subsequently, brain-drain. De-politicization of society, youth, and students in particular, which are supposed to be the most socially and politically conscious segment of youth, has been a very well calculated strategy by the state. As the Education policy in Pakistan is designed to push the educated youth onto a certain direction, serving the states own vested interests.

Mrs.Fouzia Wahab stressed on the importance of students' movements and students politics by saying that students activism and leadership has long term implications for the lives of these individuals. She said that leadership is a quality that could not be developed but it is a natural and inborn quality. There were many leaders ad activist in the history that are not from the elite class or the ruling elite but they proved to be very successful leaders so it is very clear that leadership is not connected to class and social status. Student activism teaches the students to tolerate and listen to diverse point of views and deviant opinions with an open mind and it gives them the sense of responsibility towards the nations and their people and it teaches them the importance of vote and political stance.

She pointed out that students unions were banned in 1982, and the students were told to stay out of politics and concentrate on the studies. This created a situation of non-interest among the students especially regarding patriotism and politics. The students are now following a very materialistic approach as most of them are trying to go abroad and earn more money. They are not concerned about the future of this nation or about the issues and problems that are faced by the people. They do not have any interest in politics and they lack vision and political stance. These aspects had very bad implications as the leftist and liberal elements are marginalized and they inducted a rightist approach and agenda in teaching as well. Disillusionment with politics and politicians has resulted in a lack of a vision which goes beyond a personal career and materialistic values. In this scenario the need is to revive and restore student union activism.

The participants of the seminar raised several points regarding the present situation of lack of student activism in the political process or unhealthy practices in the student activism in politics by saying that because student politics and student activist organizations are not very strong and they do not provide employment opportunities to the students, the students are forced to go to political parties and support their agendas and as a result they get involved in violence. These political parties exploit the power and energy of these students by providing weapons to them and using them for their own vested interests. The political parties are not playing their role as the leaders of these parties are not educated, learned and competent. They stressed that new approach and fresh minds are very important for improvement in political systems.

Ends……………