LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq has said that the awakening and struggle of the young generation are crucial to breaking the status quo in the country.
During a media interaction at the Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) head office in Ichra on Monday, he criticised the former governments of PML-N, PPP, and PTI for failing to honour their promises regarding the restoration of student unions.
He attributed the initial ban on student unions to a dictator’s decision, followed by subsequent governments’ reluctance to lift the ban due to fears that heightened political awareness among students would threaten the interests of feudal and corrupt imperialists.
He announced that JI would promptly restore student unions and allocate seven percent of the GDP to education after coming into power. The IJT is conducting a referendum in favour of its demands, which will continue until December 14.
Commenting on the Indian Supreme Court’s decision regarding the special status of Occupied Kashmir, Haq stated that the decision was expected and aligned with the BJP government’s controversial and illegal move to revoke the region’s special status in 2019.
He asserted that the Kashmiri people’s movement for freedom from Indian occupation would not be deterred by such tactics. Despite Indian atrocities and its desire to control the people of Kashmir, he expressed confidence that the dawn of freedom would eventually rise over Kashmir.
He urged the Pakistani government to actively advocate for the Kashmir cause, suggesting the appointment of a deputy foreign affairs minister specifically for Kashmir. Additionally, he called for hosting an international conference on the Kashmir issue in Muzaffarabad.
Haq criticized the ruling class for neglecting the education sector, pointing out that their own children study abroad. He highlighted the challenges faced by common students due to increased fees, regretting the decision of the former rulers to reduce the budget allocation for the Higher Education Commission. He pledged that JI would allocate substantial funds to bring about reforms in the education and health sectors.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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