Recent violent clashes at the University of Karachi, sparked by "heated words" and "aggressive staring", are a reflection of the deep sickness fostered by political parties that have structured their youth wings not as nurseries for future leaders, but as gangs vying for power through intimidation and force. This violence is the latest chapter of a dark history that began in the 1970s, when consciously armed and supported student groups transformed campuses into battlegrounds. The infamous "Thunder Squad" of the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) was a calculated innovation to thrash rivals, a legacy that has seen guns replace hockey sticks.

Political parties have a duty to groom the next generation of leaders, to teach them the arts of debate, policy and compromise. Instead, the parties in Pakis

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