KARACHI: Karachi University’s students have filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) seeking revival of the student union in the academic institution.
The petition has been filed by the students at the university’s School of Law, in which the chief secretary, secretary universities and boards and secretary colleges have been made party along with the secretary law, vice chancellor and the registrar of Karachi University.
Petitioners have argued that after approval of the the Sindh Students Union Act 2019, its rules and regulations yet to be formulated.
Petitioners pleaded for the court’s instruction to the Sindh government to look into the rules and issue a notification of the law.
Petition also requested for a direction to the university’s administration for formation of an election commission and holding the students’ union’s election.
It is to be mentioned here that the Sindh Student Union Bill was drafted in year 2019 then referred to the standing committee on law and parliamentary affairs for deliberation and after two years of consultation with various stakeholders, the law was passed unanimously in February 2022 as treasury and opposition members supported it.
The law passed in 2022 by the assembly says that the student union activities complement the university or the college’s academic programmes and other extracurricular activities in the educational institutions. It will certainly enhance the overall education experiences of students through development of, exposure to, and participation in social, cultural, multicultural, intellectual, recreational, traditional, community service and campus governance progress,” adding that the students however shall be bona fide representative of the students of the respective educational institutions.