The situation has become more tense in the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the largest educational institution in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, over the issue of student union elections. The university administration had issued a notification to close the university till May 22 and conduct online classes, while on the other hand, the students have made it clear that the union elections will be held in any case.
While talking to the media, student leaders took the position that the student union elections were to be held on May 19, however, the administration locked the university and closed the campus. According to the students, preparations for holding the elections were complete and various student groups were also running election campaigns.
The students say that as soon as the university reopens, a new schedule for the elections will be issued. They said that the revival of the student union is not just an electoral activity but a struggle for the democratic and representative rights of the students, which cannot be stopped under any circumstances.
It may be recalled that the efforts to hold student union elections in the University of Kashmir after four decades have recently attracted considerable attention in political and academic circles. Various student organizations and groups are calling this move a major step towards the revival of student politics, while the administration has decided to close the university, keeping in mind the security and administrative situation.
So far, there has been no official response from the university administration to the students’ latest stand.
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