Days Before Students Solidarity March, Govt Bans Political Activities At UOB Campus

Days Before Students Solidarity March, Govt Bans Political Activities At UOB Campus
The governor of the province of Balochistan has issued directions to the University of Balochistan to place a ban on all political activities and gatherings on its campus.

According to a notification issued by the Governor’s Secretariat Balochistan to the vice chancellor of University of Balochistan on Tuesday, the university has been directed that all political activities and gathering be disallowed on the campus in order to avoid disruption in the conducive environment of teaching and learning.



The notification comes three days before the Student Solidarity March, led by various student organisations,  is to begin across the country on November 29.

Through the march, organising student bodies intend to get guarantees from government officials regarding their demands of the restoration of student unions, provision of free education for all, removing discrimination in educational institutions, and an end to sexual harassment of women on campuses.



Academic and activist Ammar Ali Jan has said that the step by the University of Balochistan was a response to the Student Solidarity March, adding that students deserved to be heard rather than being intimidated.

https://twitter.com/ammaralijan/status/1199383834846015489?s=20

The academic had stated in an earlier tweet that university administrations were threatening disciplinary action against students who intended to join the Students Solidarity March. He added that it was shameful that universities failed to act on cases of harassment, crumbling infrastructure and corruption, yet they suppressed the voice of students.

https://twitter.com/ammaralijan/status/1199355551890706433?s=20

A student from the province of Balochistan took to Twitter to state that a ban on political activities was a threat to the progression of society.

https://twitter.com/sakimBaloch5/status/1199571489764335616?s=20

An activist opined that the government wanted to place a ban on student politics because they did not want students to reveal their deeds in front of the world.

https://twitter.com/ashfaqbaloch21/status/1199343204505571336?s=20

It has also come to light that the degree of one of the main organisers of the students solidarity march has been cancelled by the Punjab University.

https://twitter.com/ammaralijan/status/1199590183638843392?s=20

The event is the most recent of the happenings that have brought negative attention to the university.

In October, the university had been hit by a harassment scandal, whereby students had claimed that CCTV footage was being used by the university’s administration to harass and blackmail students.

Following protests by the student body, the then vice-chancellor, Dr Javed Iqbal had resigned from his post amid an inquiry by the Federal Investigation Agency.

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