Preparations are underway for the Progressive Students’ Collective’s (PSC’s) Student Solidarity March (SSM) 2021 on November 26, in which throngs of students are expected to demonstrate for the reinstatement of student unions in educational institutes – a demand that has been endorsed by several activists.
In a video posted by Progressive Students’ Collective, journalist Amber Rahim Shamsi invited everyone to stand next to students demanding the revival of student unions. She said that the march was an opportunity to stand up to the ‘fascist regime’, which had not followed suit on its promises to restore student unions.
Others like educationist and activist Ammar Ali Jan, lawyer Mohammad Jibran Nasir, and senior journalist Matiullah Jan, also stood by SSM’s demand on student unions. Speaking to the PSC representatives at the Asma Jehangir Conference (AJCON) this past weekend, Jan said that he fully supported student unions, especially in universities and colleges. He furthered that all political quarters must stand by the demand for unions as the same students were the ‘fresh blood’ that would take over in the future.
The fight tomorrow for establishment of student unions would be part of a longer list of demands by students partaking in the SSM. The PSC posted a list of demands on Twitter on Wednesday, which included formation of harassment committees, the allotment of five percent gross domestic product (GDP) for education, healthcare for students, a transport subsidy, and the demilitarization of campuses in Balochistan and Sindh.
In addition to specific support for student unions, the SSM has been backed holistically as well. Veteran journalist Hamid Mir said that he fought for his democratic rights as a student and would support students demanding the same in this era as well. He urged others to join the students in their demonstration as well.
Lawyer Jalila Haider, Member of National Assembly Mohsin Dawar, activist Asad Toor, scholar Maria Amir and a host of others also echoed support for students who would take to the streets tomorrow.
Organizers have been campaigning for the SSM in all possible ways, including at the AJCON. PSC Central Organizer Ali Abdullah Khan spoke at the conference and detailed the SSM’s demands and encouraged everyone to participate. Khan said that they were demanding equal access to education for all levels of society.
Elsewhere in Lahore, organizers campaigned on public transport like the Metro Bus, to raise awareness about SSM. Speaking in Punjabi, campaigner Muqaddas Jarral, assured passengers that the SSM was for the common people and not just for the elite. Campaigners have also conducted several study circles and awareness events in various universities to discuss problems faced by students ahead of the march.
The march would begin tomorrow and as per PSC, would likely span several cities including Lahore, Dera Ismail Khan, Peshawar, Karachi, Multan, and Pakpattan.
