The arrest of five students a few days back in Lahore was extremely shameful because it showed how the current government is scared of even youngsters who raise their voice against injustices.
The students, who were arrested in an early morning raid, were all raising their voice against the conducting of exams on campus instead of online. They took the view that when all the classes during the year were conducted online and the quality of teaching was not too good, it made no sense for exams to be conducted physically. They all were very enraged over being treated unfairly and demanded that the government listen to their voices.
Instead of listening to them and addressing their very genuine demands, the government actually arrested them – and that, too, as if they were hardened criminals or terrorists. They were also blindfolded when the police picked them up and the whole sight of the young people being treated in this manner was very disturbing to see.
They were released after a few days and the police apologised too. But why were they arrested at all? Why did the government get so upset over a simple protest by college and university students who were merely demanding that their exams should be held online?
The fact of the matter is that these students have actually been more active with their street presence recently and they now refuse to be treated like mere “kids.” In the recent few months, they actively campaigned for the restoration of student unions and resolution of other problems like ethnic conflicts on campuses of Punjab and sexual harassment faced by female students. They held two successful student marches where they talked about all these issues.
It seems that the state plans to silence their voices. Perhaps, then, this new protest against campus examinations was just a pretext used by the government to tell the students to stop raising their voices on such issues or otherwise they would face jail as well as state violence. This means that the protests of these students and their marches were very successful and have left authorities rattled enough to treat them as an emerging nuisance.
Therefore it is the duty of each and every Pakistani to support students who protest against these injustices so that the government knows that they have support.
We should with for more power to all the youngsters who show so much bravery and fight against injustice regardless of the consequences.
The students, who were arrested in an early morning raid, were all raising their voice against the conducting of exams on campus instead of online. They took the view that when all the classes during the year were conducted online and the quality of teaching was not too good, it made no sense for exams to be conducted physically. They all were very enraged over being treated unfairly and demanded that the government listen to their voices.
Instead of listening to them and addressing their very genuine demands, the government actually arrested them – and that, too, as if they were hardened criminals or terrorists. They were also blindfolded when the police picked them up and the whole sight of the young people being treated in this manner was very disturbing to see.
They were released after a few days and the police apologised too. But why were they arrested at all? Why did the government get so upset over a simple protest by college and university students who were merely demanding that their exams should be held online?
The fact of the matter is that these students have actually been more active with their street presence recently and they now refuse to be treated like mere “kids.” In the recent few months, they actively campaigned for the restoration of student unions and resolution of other problems like ethnic conflicts on campuses of Punjab and sexual harassment faced by female students. They held two successful student marches where they talked about all these issues.
It seems that the state plans to silence their voices. Perhaps, then, this new protest against campus examinations was just a pretext used by the government to tell the students to stop raising their voices on such issues or otherwise they would face jail as well as state violence. This means that the protests of these students and their marches were very successful and have left authorities rattled enough to treat them as an emerging nuisance.
Therefore it is the duty of each and every Pakistani to support students who protest against these injustices so that the government knows that they have support.
We should with for more power to all the youngsters who show so much bravery and fight against injustice regardless of the consequences.