The story of politics in Pakistan has been an exercise in recurring faces and generational legacies, one after another, a rebranding exercise, not really one of renewal. The narrative laid before the youth of Pakistan for generations is laden with expectations and disillusionments.
“Our generation couldn’t achieve the change Pakistan needs, so now all is up to yours.”
It is in a kind of paradox that all the mechanisms that would indeed help in the task at hand have been categorically dismantled, not least of them the student unions.
Their dismantling since 1984, by General Ziaul Haq, marked a huge setback to Pakistan’s political and social fabric, setting in motion a process through which there was almost nobody to fill in the shoes of grassroots-level political leadership. In this environment, the ban has contributed to the stifling of political growth, creation of a political stasis in which ascent often involves nepotism, cutting corners, and dynastic politics rather than merit and new ideas. It has rather contributed toward fostering an environment where a parochial political culture amongst the youth breeds.
The on-and-off status of the student unions after their ban marked a fractious relationship between the state and student activism. In 1988, Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto came up with the most relevant venture to lift the ban, and it was a new beam of hope. However, the re-emergence of student unions through her venture was tarnished with episodes of violence. The succeeding legal and judicial restrictions, including the Supreme Court interim order of 1992 and ban of 1993, further crippled the traditional character and potential of these unions.
The irony is not lost, for most of the political figures in Pakistan today, who at one time had leveraged from the activity in student politics and the platforms that the student unions provided, are part of the machinery that is denying this generation the same opportunity. Their political careers, which have spanned decades, underscore the pivotal role that these unions once played in nurturing leadership, political engagement, and key skills among the youth. It must be noted when one considers that the very platforms that facilitated the rise of these leaders have been denied to subsequent generations, effectively halting the manufacturing of new political faces and fresh ideas.
It is for this reason that stories of the likes of Jibran Nasir and Ammar Ali Jan— of younger folk getting into politics— are considered far and few in the Generation Z, precisely because they are exceptional, an exception to a norm that heaves the weight of the system heavily in favor of established political dynasties and status quo. The examples above point to how much more may be possible if fewer barriers to entry in political activity and participation existed, and they offer just a suggestion of how much more vibrant and representative the political scene could be.
The country loses out not only on the young upcoming leaders, new ideas, and fresh faces, but it also suffers greater loss in the sense that the disengagement from politics among the youth is more pronounced in the absence of the student unions. Without such forums for critical participation and debate, the avenue into political engagement becomes murky and elusive for many. This only further fortifies the barrier to entry— practically, nobody can enter the stage. This further enforces the cycle of political entrenchment and stagnation: the similar stories, the similar faces at the helm of the political stage, unchallenged, unopposed, unchanged.
The fact of the matter is that today, there is a similar setup like the National Youth Assembly and a number of student councils at university levels. However, the platforms do not measure up with the traditional student unions in terms of empowerment. These bodies do give a façade of student engagement and representation, but all too often operate under tight constraints that inhibit their ability to challenge the status quo— most important, advocating for systemic reform. These councils were constituted in a top-down manner, holding a high level of autonomy completely in contrast to the genuinely grassroots nature of the traditional student unions.
Breaking the barriers, therefore, provides a chance for Pakistan to bring new faces and ideas into its political sphere, thereby freeing it from the re-branding/repetition vicious cycle. This is a chance to keep the promise alive, which has been made to every new generation, that they do have the power to shape their country’s future—not from the perspective of an expectation handed down by those who came before, but from the reality of opportunity afforded by the future.
This is the supreme aspect of authentic empowerment: having the chance to autonomously organize, debate, and act on issues that directly affect the life and interest of the students. Without autonomy and broad mandate provided by the student unions, this alternative would suffice for delivering the core democratic difference in meaningful involvement in the country’s political discourse by the youth.
The call for the revitalization of the student unions seems to go beyond simply calling for restoration in terms of student organization; it is a call toward democratization of political participation, acknowledging that barriers, which have for long kept the political arena a closed shop, need to be broken down. However, this must be approached with a nuanced understanding of the past, implementing safeguards against the issues that previously marred student unions, and the engagement of all stakeholders to create a sustainable model for the new generation.
For this resurgence not to fall into the traps of the past, it would be very important to have clear guidelines and structure for non-violent, respectful engagement in place. Policies pertaining to student unions should be drawn from international best practices in representing student interests as part of a wider social debate, with an orientation to contributing to the respect, understanding, and democratic involvement of all members of society.
Breaking the barriers, therefore, provides a chance for Pakistan to bring new faces and ideas into its political sphere, thereby freeing it from the re-branding/repetition vicious cycle. This is a chance to keep the promise alive, which has been made to every new generation, that they do have the power to shape their country’s future—not from the perspective of an expectation handed down by those who came before, but from the reality of opportunity afforded by the future.
