Students, activists, and supporters have taken to the streets across Pakistan to record their protest under ‘Students Solidarity March.’ For an avid social media user, the #StudentsSolidarityMarch won’t be a new thing, as it is currently trending hot on Twitter and Facebook. But, not all of us are aware of its backgrounder. Read on to know what is the Students Solidarity March and why & where is it happening?
What is Students Solidarity March?
The issued started to heat up when last week, a video of a group of students went viral.
In the video, a woman student can be seen chanting the slogan, “Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna Ab Hamare Dil Mein Hai.” The footage was reportedly from Lahore, and the participants were members of the Progressive Students’ Collective (PSC), the organizers of this whole event.
In Pakistan, there are nearly 25 active student organizations; 15 of them are in Karachi alone. Over time, these organizations have taken to the streets for their particular demands, but these individual and fragmented movements don’t often yield desired results. To make these demonstrations more effective, these organizations have been united under the banner of the ‘Students Action Committee.’
When Is It Happening?
Under this banner, these organizations are carrying out rallies on the regional level on Friday (today). As per a tweet, PSC’s official Twitter handle, demonstrations are being staged in 50 cities across the country.
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— Progressive Students’ Collective (@PSCollective_) November 29, 2019
Twitter is filled with demonstrations videos and photos from all major cities of Pakistan, some of them are as under:
Islamabad.
#StudentSolidarityMarch in #Islamabad proceeding from Press club towards D Chowk right now – energised environment with around 1000 students united to demand #RestoreStudentUnion pic.twitter.com/PYSMByuAy9
— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) November 29, 2019
Lahore.
Female Students leading #StudentsSolidarityMarch #Lahore pic.twitter.com/qtuEb6Z9Ci
— Mohsin (@MohsinNAbbasi) November 29, 2019
Its just the begining of the #StudentsSolidarityMarch in Lahore.
#StudentsSolidarityMarch pic.twitter.com/1GPfTgFULS— Nasir yousafzai (@NasirYousafzai0) November 29, 2019
Karachi.
Sitting, standing, chanting listening speeches at Press Club Karachi in an account of #StudentSolidarityMarch.. I feel proud to become part of this great movement as PPP is only Political party that vocal for Student Union.@BBhuttoZardari @BakhtawarBZ @AseefaBZ @KasimGillani pic.twitter.com/Or9MQ3oNkS
— Khaleek kohistani (@KhalekKohistani) November 29, 2019
Hyderabad.
#Hyderabad #students all revved up. #StudentsSolidarityMarch pic.twitter.com/rUCbF17Jq4
— Voicepk.net (@voicepkdotnet) November 29, 2019
Peshawar.
https://twitter.com/saidalammahsud/status/1200389846461751299
Mansehra.
#StudentsSolidarityMarch at Hazara University Mansehra. Great enthusiasm. The 68% of the population are raising voice for their basic rights. @PSCollective_ @Taimur_Laal pic.twitter.com/duMCtY01Z9
— M. Hussain Amin (@MHussainAmin) November 29, 2019
Quetta
https://twitter.com/IsmailKakar6/status/1200388121764024321
Why Is It Happening?
While each rally raised voice on their local issues, primary demands remain the same. The Student Action Committee has released a 10-point Charter of Demand, which has been listed below:
- Student organizations/unions should be revived.
- Education, based on the class system, should be abolished.
- The privatization of educational institutions must be stopped.
- All national languages must be made compulsory at the primary level.
- Strong actions should be taken to stop sexual harassment at educational institutions.
- Basic facilities, like transportation, hostels, and water, should be improved.
- Five percent of total GDP should be allocated for education.
- The intervention of security forces must be stopped.
- The recent increase in fees should be reverted, and HEC funds should be revived.
- Educational institutions destroyed during military operations should be reconstructed.
What is Next for Solidarity March?
This is not the first time such an event has been organized in the country. But, the momentum and the media coverage this year’s march has received is unprecedented.
Not only did it find space in the headlines, political bigwigs like Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also threw weight behind this mega students’ movement.
Here is what Bilawal said:
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
While this solidarity march is yet to take any shape in the recent political scenario of the country, the political commentators are seeing it as a next big challenge for the incumbent government in the days to come.
I was really moved by this movement at first but when I saw involvement of some stooge like Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in this process, I quickly reclined. I am pretty much sure that this simple, realistic, logical and rightful movement will take political shape in future. More elements like PTM, PPP and who knows PML N will join hands here. Their demands are genuine, but their motive will change shape as these disturbing political parties distill the purity of these brave, simple souls called students.
PTI is also supporting the movement. Fawad Chadary and Sheeri Mazari have already tweeted in favour
People like Bilawal attach themselves to good causes like leeches attach themselves to healthy victims. It’s his way of staying relevant and in the news. Just because he’s playing his part of a leech so well doesn’t mean a movement cannot bear fruit.
Jamaat e Islaami did the same and tried to gain political power by attaching itself to KE overbilling issue. It did end up doing some good after all.
I’m not in the favor of student unions because they do whatever they desire and ruined the discipline of the institute. everything else is reasonable.
Their demands are right even every person in this country wants. but the intention behinds these rallies are not as simple as you are seeing.
Why are they holding red communist flags???
Just a community cult trying to rally support by falsely claiming to represent all students while they just represent a fringe group of silly atheists in the population. Never forget that communism resulted in the deaths of far more people than the Holocaust. Don’t let them do this to Pakistan.
Communist cult*