• Ban was legitimised by Supreme Court through 1993 verdict
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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s constitutional bench has admitted for hearing petitions challenging the decades-long ban on student unions in educational institutions — a restriction often blamed for the leadership crisis in the country’s political landscape.
The ban was legitimised by the SC itself in a 1993 verdict in the M. Ismail Qureshi vs Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba secretary general M. Owais Qasim case. In its ruling, the apex court prohibited student groups from affiliating with mainstream parties and barred students from holding positions in university statutory bodies, which would have allowed them to participate in policymaking alongside the university administration.
The two petitions were filed by IJT, represented by Barrister Zafarullah Khan, and a student leader from LUMS Hamza Khawaja, through Barrister Umer Ijaz Gilani. Initially, the registrar’s office returned the pleas with objections. However, after removing the objections, the constitutional bench, a few days ago, ordered fixing of the petitions for a regular hearing.
The bench had during the hearing sought assistance from the attorney general’s office regarding the current legal position and status of student union activities in the country. Consequently, the bench issued notices to the law ministry, Higher Education Commission (HEC), and provincial governments, directing them to submit their responses at the next hearing.
