NSF PAKISTAN, A BLOOD BOUQUET : Column By Faheem Amer

The government’s oppressive actions failed to quell the student movement.  In December 1953, student leaders from East and West Pakistan joined progressive forces to announce the All Pakistan Students Convention. Representatives from colleges nationwide attended this conference, with Mateen and Khaliq-ul-Zaman representing East Pakistan, Abid Hasan Manto leading the Punjab delegation and Syed Mazhar Jameel leading the largest delegation from Sindh.
A delegation from Government College Quetta, led by student leader Rahnama Kamal Qadri, attended a convention in Karachi’s Kutbuddin Hall in January 1954 to observe Martyrs’ Day. Messages of solidarity were received from student organizations worldwide. Minister of Law A.K. Brohi was a special guest, while Interior Minister Gormani expressed concern over his car being burned by students. There were plans to disrupt the convention.
The students were reprimanded by the principal in the headmaster’s office for misbehavior. They had a defense squad, led by the head of the literary society, who later became an expert in infectious diseases and founded the Sindh Anti-Tuberculosis and Transplant Society. The council approved the formation of the All Pakistan Students’ Organization (APSO).
In 1954, Pakistan joined Western security organizations and cracked down on APSO, jailing its leaders. DSF activists took over APSO’s platform and formed the NSF in 1956. Karachi students protested the Suez Canal crisis in 1956 under NSF leadership. In 1957, Karachi Board’s decision to end intermediate exams led to further student unrest.
The NSF protested and successfully pressured the board administration to retract their announcement. In January 1959, Zain-ul-Abidin Khan Lodhi, the newly elected General Secretary of the NSF, organized a 15-day student strike following the closure of the Students Herald in 1957. The NSF published a martyr issue on January 7th, which led to a police raid on their office, resulting in the confiscation of the publication and the office being sealed. Subsequently, the National Students Federation was declared illegal.
In May 1959, Talib e Ilm magazine’s declaration was revoked under security laws. On November 13, 1960, revolutionary leader Hasan Nasir was brutally murdered in Lahore’s Shalimar Fort, sparking protests against Ayub Khan’s regime. In 1961, the NSF protested actions against freedom fighters in Algeria, the murder of Congo’s Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, and injustices in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The NSF initiated a movement for a three-year degree course in 1962, leading to the central government announcing its end on September 30. In 1965, the NSF split into two factions due to disagreements over the international workers’ movement and Khrushchev’s revisionist line.
Ameer Hyder Kazmi led one faction, while Dr. Rashid Hasan Khan, supported by revolutionary elements, led another faction. In 1968, Dr. Rashid Hasan Khan became the president of NSF. In 1969, following the decisions of the central executive council of NSF, Dr. Rashid Hasan Khan embarked on a nationwide tour. He received a warm reception in various cities and villages, leading to rallies being held in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Nowshera, Swat, Mardan, Campbellpur, Gujrat, and other cities.
It is true that during the 1970 general elections, various individuals with left-wing leanings backed the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and Maraj Muhammad Khan, the former president of the All Pakistan Federation of Labour (APFL), not only aligned itself with the PPP but also served as a federal minister in the Bhutto government. However, it would be incorrect to claim that the APFL as an organization supported Bhutto. APFL members were cognizant that the APFL leadership continued to strive for a path towards a popular democratic revolution. The APFL’s dual approach and vocal opposition to military actions in East Pakistan are noteworthy. When the Bhutto administration cracked down on workers in Sindh on June 7 and 8, 1972, in SITE and on October 17 and 18 in Landhi, the APFL steadfastly supported the workers.
In Afghanistan, the government of Nur Muhammad Taraki and Soviet intervention once again led to disagreements, resulting in NSF workers’ imprisonments in 1980. The ideological foundations of the conflicts that arose in 1965 and 1980 can be analyzed, but it is challenging to find an ideological rationale for the larger conflicts that ensued. NSF also opposed General Zia-ul-Haq’s ruthless martial law in Pakistan. Many activists were detained and expelled from universities during Zia’s authoritarian rule. NSF successfully united anti-martial law forces during this period, particularly against the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, a supporter of Zia’s regime. NSF participated in Student Union elections to counter General Zia’s oppression.
NSF has been actively advocating for press freedom and defending the autonomy of educational institutions. In the 1981 student union elections, NSF made significant gains nationwide. However, in 1982, they faced challenges due to General Zia-ul-Haq’s interference with all his state power. In the November 1983 elections, NSF and its allies achieved a historic victory, prompting General Zia to impose a ban on student unions on 9th February, 1984. This led to widespread protests, known as the “100 Days’ Movement” of NSF, as the government’s actions disrupted the academic environment, it fueled non-curricular activities and violence in educational institutions, significantly impacting NSF.
The rich traditions, logical narrative of NSF, unmatched struggle, and countless sacrifices continue to draw students back to educational institutions to enhance their surroundings, address daily challenges, and engage in healthy extracurricular activities. The organization of NSF is currently underway, and in numerous cities across different provinces, NSF is once again capturing the attention of both male and female students. It is imperative that as NSF embarks on its 21st Council Session and expands its national presence, the organization’s legacy be safeguarded from any conspiratorial forces to ensure that NSF’s ideological vigor and exceptional discipline can guide the nation towards a people’s democratic revolution for the people.