ISF demands freedom for student unions

LAHORE (Press Release) - Student’s political awareness and empowerment is a crucial step towards success for Pakistan or any country that aims to rise through the creation of youth leadership.

“Without the existence of independent student unions in educational institutes, the potential leaders will never come to light and they will never reach a platform from which they can serve Pakistan,” said Insaf Students Federation (ISF) leaders in a statement on Tuesday.

Student Unions and federations have existed under many names since the birth of Pakistan but mother parties of most federations have tried to divert student unions from their real purpose by interfering in union elections, buying out candidates etc. Former Pakistani military ruler General Zia-ul-Haq banned student unions on Feb 9, 1984. The ban was later on lifter in 1988 after Haq’s death in a plane crash.

Insaf Students Federation rose in 2007 as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s student body, and in its short eight years history it has spread not only all over Pakistan but across the borders as well.

According to ISF leaders Gulraiz Iqbal, Muneeb Aleem Awan and Abdul Monim Lodhi, it is a representation of the ideals of a student federation; the standards put by the founding father, MA Jinnah.

In the statement, they said: “ISF has a strong stance regarding student unions and we demand that student unions be allowed to openly function in educational institutes without any hindrance from opposition federations or the administration.”

“The education policy of Pakistan should support this, otherwise Pakistan will be left in the hands of an ‘educated yet ignorant’ generation.

ISF leads by example and does not believe in pressure-politics; rather it stands strong on unity, faith and discipline,” they added.