Lawmakers hint at unanimous bill for reviving student unions

In wake of recent student solidarity marches across the country, the lawmakers in the National Assembly hinted at bringing a bill unanimously to revive student unions.

The debate on lifting the ban on student unions started in the Lower House of the Parliament after a bill titled "The Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2019" was moved by Kesoo Mal Kheeal Das.

In a welcome move, the lawmakers belonging to both treasury and opposition strongly called for restoration of students union in the country, saying the ban imposed by past military dictator should be lifted.

Terming it a constitutional right, they were unanimous in saying that student unions should be revived after a comprehensive and enforceable code of conduct where there should be no ethnic and sectarian exploitation.

Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said that restoration of student unions is vital to end polarization and violence on campuses. She said ban on student unions has inflected a negative impact on the education environment.

Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said that students had played a pivotal role in Pakistan Movement and same zeal is required to take country forward.

Dr Nafeesa Shah of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said that a strict code of conduct should be put in place, adding when traders, teachers, and officers unions are in place, why there is a ban on student unions.

Shah said student unions and student wings of political parties should be separated, adding an all parties conference or a committee of the whole house should be convened to have a detailed discussion over restoration of student unions.

Nafeesa also staged a walkout from the house after the NA speaker did not allow her to complete her speech. She was joined some other PPP women MPs to register their protest against the speaker.

Minister for Communications Murad Saeed said that students unions provide future leadership of the country as a number of political leaders have come through this process.

He said that the government has already started working on it on the orders of the Prime Minister as he wants revival of student unions.

Minister for State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said Prime Minister Imran Khan is a great admirer of student politics but prime objective of the students on campus should be education.

Khawaja Saad Rafique of PML-N said that there is no harm in reviving students politics on campus but it should also be taken in view that young minds cannot be misled.

Riaz Fatyana of PTI said it is the student federation from where middle class leadership emerges and ideological politics flourishes. He, however, said steps should be taken to avoid violence on campus.

The Emergency Madadgar (Protection from Civil and Criminal Liabilities) Bill, 2019, the Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2019, the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Act, 2019, the Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2019, the Civil Servants (Amendment) Act, 2019, the Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2019, the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Act, 2019, the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the Elections (Amendment) Act, 2019, were also laid in the house.

The Lower House of the Parliament rejected a bill seeking to change the uniform of gatekeepers of private hotels and restaurants across the country. PTI MNA from Karachi Alamgir Khan moved the bill, which was opposed by the treasury benches as well as the opposition parties.

The PTI MNA said the uniform of hotel gatekeepers was first introduced by Britons to enslave 'lower class people'.

The young PTI MNA had to get the first dose from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Syed Naveed Qamar, who said that 'mindset' which still takes pride in their uniforms of 'feudal' will not be allowed.

"What's this? You still have the mindset that we are son of 'nawab [an Indian ruler during the Mogul Empire] ibn-e-nawab, ibn-e-nawab, ibn-e-nawab and no one should wear the attire worn by our forefathers. This is not acceptable," he added.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary also rejected the bill of his own party MNA, saying that there are other platforms to discuss such matters. The bill was rejected by headcount, but Chaudhry didn't vote against the bill in the headcount.

The NA also a rejected a bill, seeking amendment in sections 206 & 208 in Elections Act, 2017, to end the bars on presidents of Pakistan to contest elections after completing their five years terms to become a member of Parliament.

RESOLUTION The house unanimously passed a resolution condemning the legislation passed by Indian Lok Sabha pertaining to amendment in Indian Citizenship Act in contradiction of all international human rights and international human rights laws. The resolution was moved by Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari.