TOPIC : STUDENT POLITICS IN PAKISTAN

Submitted to
HONORABLE DR.AYAZ KHAN SAHIB
Head of the Deportment of Political Science

Submitted by
USMAN ALI
Student of M.phil –I

Deportment of political science

Hazara University garden campus at Dodial Mansehara
Contents

1) INTRODUCTION

2) STUDENT ROLE IN POLITICS

3) HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF STUDENT UNIONS IN

PAKISTAN

4) PROMINENT PAKISTANI POLITICIANS WHO CAME INTO

POWER VIA STUDENT POLITICS

5) PROMINENT STUDENT UNIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS

IN PAKISTAN

6) CONCLUSION

7) BIBLIOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION
The history of student unions was present in pre-partition politics, and continued after its strong
presence in the struggle for independence and other national movements.
Quaid-e-Azam saw youth as a major asset for the newly created state i.e. Pakistan and
repeatedly emphasized the role of youth in Pakistani politics. He believed, youth was vital
ingredient to take the country forward.

“Pakistan is proud of her youth, particularly the students who have always been in the
forefront in the hour of trial and need. You are the nation’s leaders of tomorrow and you
must fully equip yourself by discipline, education and training for the arduous task lying
ahead of you. You should realise the magnitude of your responsibility and be ready to
bear it.” – Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

These students were living in a newly created state where representative institutions were weak
or non-existent, and the politics of student unions allowed them to have a powerful voice.
Perhaps it was the strength of that voice which led to political parties and the state unwittingly
colluding to ensure that this voice was silenced. In the interests of both democracy and the
political system, it is imperative then that Pakistan's
young – the country's current majority – are provided with a greater voice and more substantive
involvement in the political system.
However, the current situation obscures the historical reality of the youth's participation in
Pakistani politics reveals a long, influential and revolutionary role of student politics in national
affairs. Students have often served as ideological vanguards for larger political movements, as
well as powerful actors in their own right within the political landscape. The most progressive,
articulate, inspired and dynamic segment of the country’s population is the student’s community.
The formative period of student’s life should be utilized for an all round balanced development
of his/her personality. Political experience constitutes an essential part of this learning
experience. This period prepares one to face the challenges better and enables one to succeed in
life. The much hyped dirty murky nature notwithstanding Politics has the potential to inculcate
qualities like general awareness, keeping abreast with current happenings and above all
leadership qualities in an individual. Student’s who join politics are good orators. They become
assertive by shedding their timid ness and shyness. Tackling problems and solving disputes and
handling crisis situations however small or big they may be, infuses confidence in them. It helps
in developing skills to deal with people from all backgrounds and of all shades of opinion.

Moreover, politics cannot be divorced from a student’s life as he continuously interacts with the
Student’sUnion and various other student associations in college. Students also have a great deal
of exposure to mediums like the press, television, cinema, etc. which are important agents of
political expression. Political science is a vital part of the syllabi both at the school and college
level. political education or training during student life is important for success in life Majority
of the great leaders entered politics during their student life This underlines the role that politics
plays in various stages of a person’s life. Hence, it is futile to shut out students from politics
History is replete with examples of students playing a vital role in over-throwing corrupt
dictatorial regimes, freeing their people from foreign yoke and launching relentless crusades
against social injustice and exploitation.

Student role in politics

The most progressive, articulate, inspired and dynamic segment of the country’s population is the
student’s community. The formative period of student’s life should be utilized for an all round
balanced development of his/her personality. Political experience constitutes an essential part of this
learning experience. This period prepares one to face the challenges better and enables one to
succeed in life. The much hyped dirty murky nature notwithstanding Politics has the potential to
inculcate qualities like general awareness, keeping abreast with current happenings and above all
leadership qualities in an individual. Student’s who join politics are good orators. They become
assertive by shedding their timid ness and shyness. Tackling problems and solving disputes and
handling crisis situations however small or big they may be, infuses confidence in them. It helps in
developing skills to deal with people from all backgrounds and of all shades of opinion.

Moreover, politics cannot be divorced from a student’s life as he continuously interacts with the
Student’s Union and various other student associations in college. Students also have a great deal
of exposure to mediums like the press, television, cinema, etc. which are important agents of political
expression. Political science is a vital part of the syllabi both at the school and college level. This
underlines the role that politics plays in various stages of a person’s life. Hence, it is futile to shut out
students from politics.

History is replete with examples of students playing a vital role in over-throwing corrupt dictatorial
regimes, freeing their people from foreign yoke and launching relentless crusades against social
injustice and exploitation. Majority of the great leaders entered politics during their student life.
Therefore, political education or training during student life is important for success in life. Their clout
is so great that they could even go against the general people’s verdict. Where politicians fail, they
succeed easily. The power of the youth is a mighty river, waiting to be channelized. The politics of a
particular system determines whether this happens in a constructive or destructive manner.

However, there is a limit to the extent of a students’ involvement so that a balanced participation
does not affect his main purpose, which is to study. While he is not expected to remain passive in
the face of criminalization of politics, dismantling of democratic organizations, corruption,
communalism and casteism, he should not indulge in factional or partisan politics, or give into the
unjust directions of senior party leaders. The student wing should herald the new, only then do they
deserve to be called the promise of tomorrow. A better tomorrow.

Historical background of Student Unions in

Pakistan
Students constitute to a big mass strength of every nation and the same is in Pakistan.
History of student Union ship in Pakistan goes back to the Pakistan movement. Muslim
Students Federation (MSF) was the first student union founded for the cause of an
independent state for Muslims and the role of students in the Pakistan movement is
acknowledged. After Pakistan came into being Quaid e Azam advised students to
alienate themselves from the politics and merely focus on the studies. Quaid while
addressing students at Islamic College Peshawar on 12 April, 1948 said,

“My young friends, I look forward to you as the real makers of Pakistan, do not be
exploited and do not be misled. Create amongst yourselves complete unity and
solidarity. Set an example of what youth can do. Your main occupation should be in
fairness to yourself, to your parents, in fairness to the State, to devote your attention to
your studies. If you fritter away your energies now, you will always regret.
Develop a sound sense of discipline, character, initiative and a solid academic
background. You must devote yourself whole-heartedly to your studies, for that is your
first obligation to yourselves, your parents and to the State. You must learn to obey for
only then you can learn to command.”

The role of students as a mass force was supposed to end up with the emergence of
Pakistan as an independent state on the map of the world and in accordance with
Quaid’s advice to the students that they should devote themselves to the studies as
their first obligation. Unlike Quaid’s advice what happened was that more and more
student unions were founded which resulted into the fraction between the students and
development of rivalry with each other. Democratic Students Federation (DSF) and
Islami Jamiat e Talaba (IJT) were founded soon after the creation of Pakistan. With the
passage of time many political parties came into being in the country and almost every
party laid down the foundation stone of a new student union. Every party tried to
strengthen itself by creating a lobby into the student, hence another rift in students.
Some ethnic groups in the country also penetrated into the students and established
their own groups such as Pakhtun Students’ Federation (PKSF), Baloch Students’
Organization (BSO), All Pakistan Mohajir Students’ Organization (APMSO), etc.

As a result of establishment of these unions students were manipulate in various

political movements of the country and agitations against the government. Political
parties started making direct involvement in the students’ affairs and sponsored the
elections of the office bearers of unions. These acts of political parties doomed many
academic institutions by distracting the students from their main task and involving them
into the power politics. It also divided the students in different fractions confronting each
other. These, students were subsequently exploited in the hands of political leadership
of the country who used them for their political motives. Gradually the politics in
academic institutions became common under the patronage of political parties. Since,
these student unions were formed not for the welfare of the student community but for
using them in the political war game, therefore, these unions became a parallel strength
to the state, challenging the authority of the state at many occasions. Also that instead
of competent students, goons started holding offices of the unions.

This resulted into the creation of power units in the universities and colleges and side by
side gave rise to the misuse of power and corruption by the members of union. Use of
arms against the rival students as well as the administration became usual. In some
cases extortion of money from the transporters, contractors working in the institution
and nearby business proprietors by threatening them also happened. Serious academic
students were harassed to join the unions and were forced to become part of the
processions, agitations and protests against government. Those who refused were
punished and victimized. However, this student union culture dominated the academic
culture and spoiled the quality of education being imparted from number of prestigious
academic institutions. Concerned parents were compelled to choose the private
institution for their children upon the government institutions, where unions operated.
The story did not end up just here but member students of one union also became
victims of the rival groups when their patron political parties came to power. Overall
student unions adversely affected the academic institutions severely, instead of giving
any benefit.

Sensing the negativity taking breed through student unions, these were once banned in
1984 but that ban could survive only till 1988, when it was lifted again. At present
dozens of student unions are operating in different colleges and universities of Pakistan
and a recent development is that of Insaf Student Federation (ISF) under the patronage
of Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf, which raises the slogan of justice and welfare in the society.
The question which so far is going unanswered by the sponsors of ISF is that how this
union is going to be distinct in its role from that of many other student unions in the
country? How it would be ensured that students belonging to this union are not
exploited and misled?

Prominent Pakistani Politicians Who Came Into Power Via Student Politics

1) Javed Hashmi
He is currently president Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).During his student life he was the
president of student union in Punjab university.

2) Liaqat Baloch
He is currently General Secretary Jamaat-e-Islam Pakistan. During his student life he was the
president of student union in Punjab University.

3) Jahangir Badar
He is politically affiliated with Pakistan People Party and currently he is the Secretary General of
PPP. During his Student life he was the President of the Hailey College of Commerce student
union
 4) Altaf Hussain
He is politically affiliated with Muttahida Quami Movement and currently he is the Quaid of
MQM. During his Student life he was Founder of All Pakistan Muttahida Students’ Organization.

5) Ahsan Iqbal
He is politically affiliated with Pakistan Muslim League (N) and currently he is the Information
Secretary of PML-N. During his Student life he was the President of the Engineering University
Students Union

Prominent student Unions and Organizations in Pakistan

Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba
Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) is an independent student wing, but share its ideological basses
with Jamaat-e-Islam party in Pakistan. It is currently the only student’s organization which has its
routes in whole Pakistan. The IJT's stated mission is to eliminate the non-Islamic factors and the
secularism from the curriculum and teachings of the educational institutions of Pakistan. The IJT was
known in the 1980s for its militant nature and was one of the student unions temporarily banned in
198.Today the group is active and continues to be a source of recruits for the Jamiat-e-Islam
Party though many of its members, after completing their tenure, have also joined other political
parties.
Muslim Student Federation
Muslim Student Federation or MSF is a conservative Pakistani political group that was started on
September 1, 1937, in Calcutta, India by the old All-India Muslim League.[21]The group has a wing in
Pakistan that is led by Rana Arshad and Rana Hassnain leading in Punjab as senior vice president
along with coordinator Green Tiger Punjab with Mariam Nawaz Sharif and Atif Rauf. He belongs to
south Punjab hometown is Bahawalnagar. The student federation has also been known to engage in
fights previously with some of the progressive student federations and exhibit an independent mildly
conservative nature.
In Pakistan MSF-N is aligned to the PML-N, which is a centre-right party (now in government) and its
student wing is very liberal/conservative nowadays
National Students Federation]
National Students Federation (NSF) was formed from the remnants of the Democratic Students
Federation when it was banned in 1956.[25] The group is a self-proclaimed
revolutionary communistic left-wing student federation whose stated goals are to:

1. Struggle for a class free education system and all rights of the student community
2. Struggle for free education for all
3. Struggle for improvement in the conditions of all educational institutes
 4. Promote peace, tolerance and unity amongst students
5. To link students with the international movements against capitalist, imperialist oppression
In 2008 the group was reorganized during the Lawyers' Movement, and now primarily operates out
of Punjab, though its values remain mostly the same and just like the DSF gave birth to powerful
NSF in a siamlir way the NSF has helped give birth to the proramme of the recently formed Insaf
Student Federation (ISF)

Peoples Students Federation[

Peoples Students Federation is a youth-led party organisation attempts to mobilise the youth for
Peoples Party candidates for the Youth Parliament. It also has the separateTrotskyist-Marxist wing,
“The Struggle”, which is internationally affiliated with International Marxist Tendency (IMT); the
student wing, the Peoples Students, a student-outreach organization with the goal of training and
engaging a new generation of centrist leaders pro-feudal pro-American and Pakistan Peoples Party-
Zaradri members. Though the history of PSF is jam-packed with the sacrifices of young blood but
during the Zia era a group of students, namely Sahar Dubir Sunny, Jamshed Butt (Kh Jamshed
Imam) and Tanver Khakwani played a unique role under the hot water. Jamshed Butt (KH Jamshed
Imam) but was the mastermind of political activism and Sunny and Tanveer were his wings to fly. He
wrote and spoke throughout the ruling days of Zia against his bad deeds.
Insaf Students Federation]
Insaf Students Federation (ISF) was formed by chairman khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, (PTI)
and it has the simple majority from the Center-left and Centrist Student Organisations esp.
the National Student Federation and Liberal Student Federation when it became Poltically Activate in
the late 2000s during the "Nation-wide Lawyers Movement" and other anti-Musharraf activities and it
sees itself as the "True Follower of the old NSF" and the "PSF as a fake break-away group" from the
old NSF. The federation has similar to the old NSF both right and left wing factions and it is a self-
proclaimed Radical/Progressive Social Democratic a federal student organisation whose stated
goals are to Struggle and fight for free education, free health system and welfare state for the poor
and working class Pakistani people and defending rights of the student community based on social
justice and democratic ideals.
All Pakistan Muhajir Students Organization
All Pakistan Muhajir Students Organization (APMSO) was founded in 1978 at the University of
Karachi by Altaf Hussain.[28] Unlike other student political organizations, APMSO spawned its own
national political party in 1984, the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).[29] While the APMSO
platform has some liberal elements to it, at its core it is the ethnic political party of the Muhajir,
an Urdu speaking people who immigrated from India in 1947.[30] This student organization has also
been involved in violent clashes with other student political organization, which have resulted in over
20 deaths since the group's founding

National Students Federation (NSF)

One of the oldest progressive student organizations in Pakistan. Began as the student wing
of the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP). Exhibited electoral supremacy in student union
elections through the 1960s and early 1970s. Was at the forefront of the movement against
the Ayub Khan dictatorship in 1968. Experienced a split in early 1960s when a pro-China
faction broke away and formed the Democratic Students Federation (DSF). Electoral
influence started to vain from 1973 onwards as another faction broke away and formed the
Liberal Students Federation (LSF).
In the late 1970s and 1980s the NSF became part of the progressive electoral alliances, the
United Students Movement (USM) in Karachi and the Progressive Students Alliance in
Punjab. Currently the NSF has a small presence in a couple of colleges in Sindh, Punjab
and Azad Kashmir.

Ideology: Marxist (1960s-70s); progressive (1980s-90s).

Famous former members: Miraj Mohammad Khan (former minister); Fatyab Ali Khan
(politician); Raja Anwar (former minister/writer); Ammanullah (politician); Dr Haroon Ahmed
(psychiatrist

Pukhtoon Students Federation (PSF)

is a leftist and nationalist student organization and a student wing of the Awami National
Party formally known as (National Awami Party) Pukhtoon Students Federation was formally
founded on 8 April, 1968, at the historical tomb of the national hero Khushaal Khan Khattak at Akora
Khattak (Nowkhar), Pakhtunkhwa. It was initially formed by a group of nationalist students, but
became a platform for the welfare and awareness of Pukhtoon students, and members started to
work closely with other nationalist forcesIt is present in numerous educational institutions of
Pakistan. Every student belonging historically to the regional Pukhtoonkhwa irrespective of his/her
color, race language and religion can become a member of PSF. khan launched and organized PSF
and became its Central Executive Committee member during the national uprising against the
dictatorship of General Ayub Khan. Pukhtoon Students Federation opposed the military dictatorship
of General Yahia Khan who replaced Ayub Khan through a coup-de-etat in 1969; Yahia Khan
banned PSF along with all political activities

Imamia Students Organization

Imamia Students Organisation is a Shi'a Muslim students organisation in Pakistan. It was founded
by Dr. Mohammad Ali Naqvi on 22 May 1972 at University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore.
In 2012 it had "around 1200 units in Pakistan,"[19] covering all the five provinces of Pakistan, Tribal
areas, Azad Jamu, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
The Goal of this Organization is to set the lives of the young generation in accordance with the
teachings of Quran and Mohammad-o-Aal-e-Mohammad (as), so that they may become good
Human beings and Momins, and may defend the Highness of the Holy Religion and the
geographical and ideological boundaries of Pakistan
Allegations were directed against ISO that they receive funding from Iran. ISO counters those
allegations, stating that they only receive moral guidance from Iran
.
Democratic Students Federation
Democratic Students Federation (DSF) was founded in 1949, and being the oldest leftist student
federation in Pakistan many other left leaning student political organizations can trace their heritage
back to this group.[6] The DSF was banned in 1956 because of its political association with
the communist party, which resulted in several other student groups forming from its ashes, like
the National Students Federation and the Liberal Students Federation.[25] The DSF was allowed to
reorganize in 1980, and grew in popularity because of its connection to the then powerful Soviet
Union. This popularity faded after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the group restructured itself
in 2011 to adapt to more current issues. The groups stated mission is to, “bring back the balance of
power to the students in universities which is formerly lost.”
Youth Parliament of Pakistan
Youth Parliament of Pakistan (YPP) is a democratically oriented activism group started in
2006.[citation needed] The group does not a political or religious affiliation, and primarily works on
educating the youth of Pakistan about the ideas of democracy.[36] In 2009, YPP started the Youth
Action for Democracy in collaboration with the United Nations Democracy Fund. This project was
aimed at increasing democratic education and youth participation in politics in the districts
of Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtoonkha, Sindh, and Azad Jammu Kashmir