Saddam Shah
Since last decade Balochistan has been observed, with immense increase in education rate, especially in quality education. The number of students of Balochistan studying outside the province may not be exactly known, but from the special case of University of the Punjab, Lahore, one may say, it is up to the mark.
In 2010, it was not more than twenty enrolled students at PU, but it is five hundred in present session, after just seven years. Balochistan lacks quality institutions which now, it is seriously concentrating upon, and that is why it has been unable to curb its so many issues in past. But despite all the rough and tough days, the province yet sees a hope in its youth, who may contribute professionally to their underdeveloped region and the country in general. The hundred seats by the Ex-Vice Chancellor Dr. Mujahid Kamran of University of the Punjab, Lahore was a good will gesture to initiate inter-provincial cultural exchange of students among the provinces to break so many created myths through youth, the mason of Pakistani nation. Students, in start, were not all qualitative but with the passage of time, cream students of Balochistan moved to one of the elite institution of the country to represent the soft image of the province and get quality higher education, for which they traveled many miles away from their home towns. In the modern twenty-first century, knowledge has replaced physical battle ground to defeat the crises, and pen is thought to be a tool that is a good alternative instead a violent gun. It is well known, our national policies much rely upon our religious scholars, it may have been a vital source for national integrity, but unfortunately the growing circumstance particularly in educated youth, the phenomenon doesn’t work that way. Punjab University has been a center of Islami Jamiat Tuleba IJT, and their role in the institute was much dominant, but after the Ex-Vice Chancellor took a hard step against it, and the formation of community councils added further, fuel that didn’t tolerate any administrative commands of the organized political party. There has been number of incidents occurred; published in national press and broadcasted on electronic media. Clashes between the students, mostly community based student councils and Islami Jamiat Tuleba IJT really destroyed the learning atmosphere and always created a scenario of violence and crime.
Many times the administration ensured the students to avoid the clashes in future but to no fruit, even after the previous clash in February 2016, all political parties of Balochistan and national leadership of Jamat e Islami reached on consensus to prevent the incidents through negotiation, but again it was a mere formality, and nothing has been done in this regard. It is not about the clash of students, it is about the image the students of Balochistan take from the institution, it is about the national unity and about the soft image that we all represent of our country. Students clash produces hatred among every one.
It may not be a matter for Mansura, but of course national integrity is hardly damaged. I have been an eye-witnessed to these like situations at the university campus, and the students are that much depressed, that they can hardly continue their studies to build their personal and professional skills. If I discontinued my studies from there, so can others do. We are one nation under a green flag, but our policies sometimes hit our own people, that is certainly intolerable.
The recent incident has taken place after the Juma prayer on tenth of February, where many students have severe injuries from both sides. The administration couldn’t cope up with the situation, and nor the police succeeded. All the students were locked in one hostel from each side for two days, Students Council Alliance protested in their hostel and at the university campus, and asked the government to be involved. This is bad sign for the students of the University, but the cream students from Balochistan, and other part of the country, whom only aim has to acquire quality education, are the direct affected ones, and their concerns are more valuable to listen. The enrolled students, to whom I talked, are fed up with the normal routine of battle ground, and wished they may have joined armed forces instead. There has to be a permanent one-time solution for the students of entire country even, on which obviously our future depends. We may not change our policies entirely, but can at least, reforms can be the best option for the good sake of common citizens. Our institutes, particularly in public sector have organized political parties throughout the country, which divide us on many occasions. In fact, it is furthermore breaking the nation. Such institutes, where administration is unable to deal with illegal crimes, must be taken in consideration, and a best solution has to be sort out for the welfare of our youth students and for the harmony of this country. Our private institutions are good example, thanks to God, they are more secure, and has better learning platform.
Writer is a Student of Defence and Strategic Studies at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are those of the author and Balochistan Voices not necessarily agrees with them.
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