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Progressive Students Federation
AbbreviationPrSF
Formation2014
TypeLeft-wing students’ organization
PurposeStruggle for the democratic rights of students, for restoration of students’ unions
Location

Progressive Students Federation (PrSF) is a left-wing socialist students’ organisation based in Pakistan. PrSF was formed in 2014[1] in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but was later joined various factions of National Students Federation in Punjab and Sindh. The organisation has mobilised students and youth all over Pakistan for democratisation of campuses, restoration of student unions and universal education.[2][3][4]

Formation

History

Progressive Students Federation (PrSF) was founded on December 21, 2014 in Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by left-wing socialist political leader Fanoos Gujjar.[1] In 2015, PrSF Swat unit was established. In 2016, PrSF was started in Hyderabad, Sindh, after that PrSF units were formed in different cities of Sindh. In Islamabad, PrSF was started in 2017.[5] In Punjab and Sindh, PrSF is a continuation of Punjab[6][7] and Sindh chapters of National Students’ Federation (NSF), which were reappeared in late 2000s. NSF was initially formed in 1956 after the Democratic Students Federation (DSF) was banned in 1954.[8] NSF played a major role in the popular student and labour uprising against the dictatorship in 1967 and 1968.[9] Ever since student unions were banned in 1984, students have been facing ever-increasing problems.[10][11][12]

PrSF exists in the form of basic, district and provincial units. First convention of Islamabad-Rawalpindi unit was held in October, 2021[13] and second district congress was held on October 15, 2023.[14] First National (provincial) Congress of Sindh was held on March 6, 2022.

Ideology

PrSF aims to raise political and social awareness among students for their democratic rights, for restoration of student unions, to organize students in educational institutions and outside, to create a strong and organized students’ movement that will lay the foundation for an affordable, uniform, fair, democratic, secular, modern and scientific education system.[10]

Activities

The activities organised by PrSF include weekly study circles,[15] on topics of students' rights, revival of banned students' unions in education campuses,[16][17][18][19] budget cuts of education. PrSF campaigned against anti-student policies, pushed a bill on students' unions' restoration in Senate,[20] and organized annual student marches in 2018,[21][22] 2019,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] 2020[33] 2021[34] and 2022.[35][1] Street theatres on students rights were also performed during these students' marches.[36][37]

PrSF jointly organized and participated in events with other allies against religious extremism such as Songs of freedom, 2018[38] Mashal March, 2019[39][40][41][42] in addition to annual Women's rights' marches,[43][44][45][46][47] climate march,[48] flood relief,[49] climate justice,[50] students’ housing rights march.[51] During the pandemic, PrSF protested against the lack of internet facilities for online education for students in peripheral areas of country,[52][53][54][55][56] and the limited access to education for women, as well as unsafe environment for women at campuses.[57][58][59]

While demanding for students' rights, PrSF members had to face censorship from rightwing groups,[60][61] and even through arrests.[62] PrSF also organised protests for the laborers’ rights,[63][64][65][66] forced displacement,[67][68] inflation and price hike,[69] trans rights,[70] anti-imperialism etc.[71] PrSF formed the alliances with other progressive groups such as Students Action Committee,[72] Hyderabad Students Alliance[73] Leftwing groups' alliance[74] and United Democratic Front (UDF) etc.[75]

Citations/Sources

References

  1. ^ a b c Ahmed, Raja Furqan (27 November 2022). "Battling the status quo, Students Action Conference proposes a way forward". The Pakistan Daily.
  2. ^ "Mapping social movements in Pakistan" (PDF).
  3. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (5 March 2022). "Report on mapping social movements". DAWN.COM.
  4. ^ "Mapping social movements | Dialogue | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk.
  5. ^ "جمہوری روایات کی صبح ہم بھی دیکھیں گے". Daily Jang. 19 February 2022.
  6. ^ "NSF brings 'national' back into national reconciliation | Pakistan Today".
  7. ^ "NSF convention: 'Progressive' students of Pakistan unite!". The Express Tribune. 27 November 2011.
  8. ^ Bilgrami, Jaffer (20 February 2022). "NON-FICTION: A HISTORY OF STUDENT ACTIVISM". DAWN.COM.
  9. ^ Mansoor, Hasan (18 March 2018). "All segments of the Left urged to unite to confront 'gloomy' political scenario". DAWN.COM.
  10. ^ a b "A world in revolution" (PDF).
  11. ^ "News". London School of Economics and Political Science.
  12. ^ "A WORLD IN REVOLUTION". A WORLD IN REVOLUTION.
  13. ^ "Progressive Students Federation (PRSF) held Students Convention". Times Pakistan News. 24 October 2021.
  14. ^ Ahmed, Raja Furqan (17 October 2023). "Progressive Students Congress vows to build a mass left alternative for students & youth". The Pakistan Daily.
  15. ^ "Identity, institutions, privilege: Politics and free speech on campus". www.geo.tv.
  16. ^ Abbasi, Kashif (10 February 2022). "Protesters want ban on student unions lifted". DAWN.COM.
  17. ^ "Student organisations respond to unions' restoration in Sindh". www.geo.tv.
  18. ^ Magazine, Academia (15 February 2021). "Will the Recent Protests Revive Student Unions in Pakistan?". Academia.
  19. ^ Singh, Shriya (23 February 2022). "Pakistani students continue struggle against student union ban and score a major victory in Sindh province". Peoples Dispatch.
  20. ^ "Cautious Optimism: Students Welcome Restoration Of Student Unions In Sindh, Seek Implementation". The Friday Times - Naya Daur. 12 February 2022.
  21. ^ Singh, Shriya (7 December 2021). "Solidarity march shows rising strength of student movement in Pakistan". Peoples Dispatch.
  22. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (1 December 2018). "Rally demands restoration of student unions". DAWN.COM.
  23. ^ uddin, Siraj (29 November 2019). "Student Solidarity March held countrywide to demand restoration of unions, better education facilities". DAWN.COM.
  24. ^ Naqvi, Farwa (21 November 2019). "Why the Student Solidarity March is being organised across the country". DAWN.COM.
  25. ^ "Student unions' only solution to overwhelming issues at universities". Daily Times. 29 November 2019.
  26. ^ "Students in Pakistan Hold Rallies Across 50 Cities Demanding Restoration of their Unions". News18. 30 November 2019.
  27. ^ "Thousands of students marched across 50 cities". The Frontier Post. 30 November 2019.
  28. ^ "Meet Pak's 'Leather Jacket Girl' Whose Viral Video of 'Sarfaroshi ki Tamanna' Inspired a Movement". News18. 29 November 2019.
  29. ^ "Rally demands restoration of student unions, uniform educational system". www.thenews.com.pk.
  30. ^ "Students solidarity march demands lifting of ban on unions". Pakistan Observer. 29 November 2019.
  31. ^ "Pakistan's Students Rise up in Protest". New Pakistan. 1 December 2019.
  32. ^ Naqvi, Farwa (21 November 2019). "Why the Student Solidarity March is being organised across the country". DAWN.COM.
  33. ^ "DAYS OF REVOLUTIONARY ACTION BY STUDENTS AND WORKERS IN PAKISTAN". Resistentiam.com. 29 December 2020.
  34. ^ "Students March Jamshoro". Awami Awaz (in Urdu). 26 September 2021.
  35. ^ Yasin, Aamir (28 November 2022). "Students group vows to resist 'corporatisation' of education, capitalist system". DAWN.COM.
  36. ^ "Voiceless and frustrated, Pakistani students speak out". Gulf-Times (in Arabic). 2 December 2019.
  37. ^ "Students march from mountains to plains for rights". The High Asia Herald. 30 November 2019.
  38. ^ Ali, Farman (2 May 2018). "Lok Virsa celebrates Labour Day with musical evening". DAWN.COM.
  39. ^ "Son's death not in vain, slain Pakistan student's parents say". gulfnews.com.
  40. ^ "Civil society remembers slain student activist Mashal on his death anniversary". Daily Times. 13 April 2019.
  41. ^ "Student body vows to fight religious extremism on Mashal's death anniversary". www.thenews.com.pk.
  42. ^ "Pakistan: Seminars and Rallies in the Memory of Mashal Khan". Asian Marxist Review.
  43. ^ "People's Front set up to defend workers, students, women rights". Daily Times. 19 November 2020.
  44. ^ "Govt must announce 'Aurat Emergency': WDF". www.thenews.com.pk.
  45. ^ Yasin, Aamir (7 March 2020). "'Opponents of Aurat Azadi March oblivious to suffering of women'". DAWN.COM.
  46. ^ "Participants vow to continue struggle for equal society". www.thenews.com.pk.
  47. ^ "In pictures: Women highlight social injustices in Islamabad rally". The Express Tribune. 6 March 2022.
  48. ^ "Down with rape and torture! International solidarity with climate activists in Karachi! | League for the Fifth International". fifthinternational.org.
  49. ^ "After the deluge".
  50. ^ Ahmed, Raja Furqan (24 September 2022). "Activists from Islamabad, Rawalpindi demand climate justice". The Pakistan Daily.
  51. ^ "Students hold protest for their right to shelter". Pakistan Observer. 24 October 2019.
  52. ^ desk (23 June 2020). "Students protest against online classes". Pakistan Observer. {{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  53. ^ "Students held protest against online classes". The Frontier Post. 23 June 2020.
  54. ^ "Students of tribal district seek high speed internet access". Daily Times. 23 June 2020.
  55. ^ Baloch, Shah Meer. "Pakistan's Great Digital Divide". thediplomat.com.
  56. ^ Waqar, Komal (14 June 2020). "GOING ONLINE: LESSONS FROM THE CLASSROOM". DAWN.COM.
  57. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (26 December 2019). "Nust denies alleged campus rape of student". DAWN.COM.
  58. ^ "Nust denies reports of alleged rape at Islamabad campus, calls accusations 'a complete hoax'". DAWN.COM. 25 December 2019.
  59. ^ Report, Dawn (2 December 2021). "Protests continue over mysterious death of MBBS student". DAWN.COM.
  60. ^ Reporter, A. (29 January 2018). "Protest against arrest of varsity students". DAWN.COM.
  61. ^ "Jamiat Attacks Protest At University, 18 Students Injured". The Friday Times - Naya Daur. 3 January 2022.
  62. ^ Batool, Zehra (19 January 2021). "Police Arrest & Torture Students In Islamabad For Protesting Against On-Campus Exams". Parhlo.
  63. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (2 May 2019). "Call for ending discrimination in provision of workers' rights". DAWN.COM.
  64. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (20 May 2020). "Rallies in 30 cities of Punjab against anti-labour policies". DAWN.COM.
  65. ^ "Protesters blast govt for sacking of PSM workers, polio vaccinators". www.thenews.com.pk.
  66. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (17 June 2020). "Protest demo held against anti-worker measures, federal budget". DAWN.COM.
  67. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (2 May 2021). "Human chain formed to protest against 'illegal' evictions along nullahs in Karachi". DAWN.COM.
  68. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (21 February 2022). "Slum dwellers want their houses protected during 10th Avenue's construction". DAWN.COM.
  69. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (8 November 2021). "Protesters assail inflation, high cost of daily-use items". DAWN.COM.
  70. ^ Shahid, Jamal (1 April 2022). "Call to end violence against transgender people". DAWN.COM.
  71. ^ Web Desk (16 May 2021). "Pakistan students to protest Israeli assault on Palestine Monday". Samaa.
  72. ^ "Students march for unions revival". Latest News - The Nation.
  73. ^ Correspondent, The Newspaper's Staff (27 June 2022). "Student bodies form alliance to raise issues of women, fee increase". DAWN.COM. {{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  74. ^ "Oct 16, 2022 | SU students form left wing groups` alliance". Dawn Epaper. 16 October 2022.
  75. ^ "The formation of a new front of progressive forces called the United Democratic Front Geo Tv News".
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