LUMS protests continue..

The protests at LUMS continued unabated on Thursday and throughout the week. Two flash protests were held earlier in the week, while today, a banner was signed by students not just from LUMS but also by students from all over Pakistan attending the LUMS Model United Nations. The students were demanding the restoration of the judiciary, freeing the protest prisoners, and the independence of the media. The recent crackdown on political debate in universities by the federal government was widely condemned by the student body. It directly contradicts General Musharraf's proclaimed agenda of bringing 'enlightened moderation' to this country. Building walls around people's minds can never achieve any kind of enlightenment. This move is evidence that the government's increasingly oppressive policies are now beginning to cast a shadow in the private sphere as well. As one student in LUMS put it, one wonders if the next ban will be on political debate in the household. The question is, does General Musharraf want to turn this country into Stalinist Russia?