When the highest decision-making syndicate of one of Pakistan’s top higher education institutions, Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU), took the historic decision of reviving elected student unions in September, an old debate was rekindled. These politically partisan, outspoken student unions were prohibited through a series of martial law regulations in Pakistan some 30 years ago when General Zia ul Haq’s military government decided it would no longer tolerate the fiercely independent groups. After the election of the civilian government in 1988, many universities revived nominated students’ societies with limited freedom to advocate student causes but hardly any university reinstated elected student unions again.