In a tweet from his official account, the minister said that he fully supported the restoration of student unions. He argued that we could always ensure that student politics remained free of violence.
https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1200300827719733248?s=20
He further said that regulations must be introduced for the smooth functioning of student unions, and that a ban on unions would limit future politics.
The minister’s statement comes the day students are set to march across 55 cities in Pakistan to demand the freedom to engage in politics on campus in order to safeguard their rights. Students have also called for the constitution of sexual harassment committees, an end to privatisation, increased allocation of GDP for education and an end to discrimination and harassment based on language, ethnicity, gender and religion.
Meanwhile, other politicians and journalists have also lent support to the march. Former senator Farhatullah Babar took to Twitter to state that the ban on student unions, presence of security personnel on campus, and the shrinking space for intellectual infrastructure was unacceptable.
https://twitter.com/FarhatullahB/status/1200273496523386881?s=20
Notable journalist Mazhar Abbas also called on people to lend support to the Students Solidarity March and said that it was time to restore student unions.
https://twitter.com/MazharAbbasGEO/status/1200268322266374144?s=20
Former parliamentarian Bushra Gohar also called for the restoration of student unions and the demilitarisation of campuses.
https://twitter.com/BushraGohar/status/1200305890894725120?s=20
Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari had today condemned the Punjab University for its cancellation of the degree of a student who was one of the main organisers of the Students Solidarity March. She has further said that instead of a ban on student unions, universities should ensure that student unions functioned effectively.
https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/1200313122206158848?s=20