LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has called for the restoration of student unions, emphasising that the longstanding ban on these bodies has undermined the democratic process in the country. Addressing a student convention at Science College, Wahdat Road, on Wednesday, Rehman criticised the ruling elite comprising feudal lords, the establishment and the bureaucracy, for “denying the masses their right to governance”. “The system has been hijacked, and the ruling elite refuses to empower the people,” he said. He said that over 80 percent of the parliamentarians are billionaires who reached the legislature through “manipulated election results and the backing of powerful institutions.” “These individuals do not represent the people of Pakistan,” he remarked. Rehman argued that lifting the ban on student unions would foster political awareness among the youth, enabling them to enter politics and paving the way for genuine representation of ordinary citizens in the parliament. However, he lamented that the current ruling class is unwilling to share power with the people. He further noted that the JI is committed to dismantling the remnants of the colonial-era system. “The British may have left, but they handed power to their loyalists,” he said. He said the ruling elite deprived the nation of education and basic necessities, while sending their own children abroad for higher education. Drawing attention to the alarming state of education, he said that approximately three million children in Pakistan are out of school, with over one million from Punjab alone. He condemned the Punjab government’s plans to privatise schools, vowing to challenge the move in court. The JI emir also criticised the Punjab Assembly members for approving a substantial salary increase for themselves. “At a time when the common man struggles to make ends meet, these so-called representatives have prioritised their own financial gains,” he regretted. He called for an equitable education system with a uniform curriculum to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.