Some days ago respected Mr. ZahidRehman wrote an article with same title on the issue of student unions. After reading that article I decided to clear about some misconceptions mention in stated article related to student unions as well as IslamiJamiat-e-Talba. In his article he really considered student unions same as student organizations. Mixing of the meanings of student unions and student organizations is also used by some other scholars as well which revealed their lack of command on this issue.
We can understand the difference between student organizations and student unions from the example of political parties and Parliament respectively. Different student organizations took part in the elections arranged by institutions (colleges & universities) formally and in the result a forum came into being like parliament which was known as student union. Elected members of different designations became the members of the forum-of student unions. Different student organizations like Jamiat, NSF, PSF, and MSF took part in those elections with their panels. A student union was then elected and the representing forum of all students of an institution. That forum was the beautiful example of democracy in past. It provided opportunity to students to learn about different ideologies and also provide them chance to enhance their abilities and skills. This forum was also responsible for arranging different extra-curricular and co-curricular activities in an institution.
My friend also mentioned about student clashes and especially wrote about Jamiat’s negative role in educational institutions. Before I go to answer about allegations on Jamiat I would like to clarify about student clashes. If we check the data of clashes between students or student organizations before and after the banning of student unions, we amazingly noticed that numbers of clashes after banning of student unions are more than before ban. I have a proper data on this issue which I will publish in my next article soon InshaAllah. It is simple to understand that if proper channel would not provided to students for their activities it will lead them to misuse their qualities.
On the other hand he claimed about violence of Jamiat in student institutions which I think is based on biased feelings. I strongly disagree upon the allegation. Jamiat is the only organization which is sustaining her present in educational institutions because of positive activities. Jamiat arranged admission guidance camps, summer camps, blood donation camps, carrier counseling seminars-to name a few.Jamiat also lead the protests in democratic means for the rights of students. Jamiat is trying to organise all the positive activities which were organised by student unions in Past. In recent past Jamiat arranged a marvellous 3 day event in Expo Centre Lahore with the name “SEE Lahore” in which 25 thousands students participated. Jamiat is financing hundreds of students for their higher studies and had financed thousands in past. Jamiat also inaugurated Baluchistan Youth Hostel in Quetta for needy students of Baluchistan.
From 1947 till now 2016 we have very rich history for serving of our beloved homeland Pakistan. Thousands of students took part in war of 1971 against Mukti-Bahni and India in East-Pakistan and also facing un-fair judicial trial in Bangladesh now days. A very long list of honest and middle class politicians were the former student leaders of Jamiat in past. Siraj-ulHaq is the best example of Jamiat’s positive role by which they polished a student of very poorest orphan child and now he is the Central president of biggest organised, democratic, political, and Islamic party of Pakistan. I accept we are not ideal or free from error but our positive role is more than our errors.
Jamiat is in favour of revival of student unions in the educational institutions which were the only source of getting political leaders belong to biggest population of middle class or lower class families of Pakistan. Student unions are the only source to change the feudalistic political system of Pakistan. Student unions are the future of democracy in Pakistan, because of which they should be active in educational institutions as soon as possible.
Islami Jamaat-e-Talaba,
April 8.