The Syndicate of the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) on Friday decided to revive student unions on campus as an elected body representative of the students along the lines of the Oxford Union.
This was decided during a meeting of QAU's Syndicate at the varsity on Friday. The meeting was attended by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa.
During the meeting, syndicate members lamented that student unions in varsities had been banned in 1984.
At this, CJP Isa clarified that the ban was imposed under the Martial Law Order, which was later repealed through an act of Parliament in 1989.
He added that a Supreme Court judgement from 1993 also ruled on the matter of student unions. However, he explained that the judgement only disapproved of the indulgence of students in mainstream politics. But at the same time, it allowed and appreciated the existence of an elected student body that addresses their issues and arranges co-curricular activities.
CJP Isa pointed out how the Senate of Pakistan had passed a resolution on the matter in 2017.
QAU Registrar read out the resolution for the syndicate members.
Thereafter, all members of the Syndicate decided unanimously to revive student unions on campus as an elected body of the university's students.
The QAU launched immediate action to restore student unions and formed a committee comprising the QAU registrar and Law School director to formulate a detailed proposal about modalities of elections and other relevant issues.
This committee will study past practices and rules as well as the contemporary best practices in the world, such as the Oxford Union, and will submit a report to the Syndicate in two weeks.
Earlier, CJP Isa was given a briefing on the issues afflicting the varsity, particularly land grabbing.
Justice Isa directed to expedite the resolution of the land ownership issue.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa placed a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability during the Syndicate meeting. He stressed the immediate need to implement measures that protect the environment, including effective waste management and sustainable water consumption practices.
Furthermore, the Syndicate members were resolute in their commitment to maintaining a safe and drug-free campus environment.
They discussed measures to eliminate the presence of drugs and arms on the campus, highlighting their dedication to ensuring the safety and well-being of all members of the university community.