Occupation of university hostels by 'forces' echoes at SLF.

KARACHI -- The chronic issue of a lack of hostels for students in major cities of the province, particularly Karachi, was echoed at the Sindh Literature Festival (SLF) on Sunday when the vice chancellor of a public sector medical university disclosed that a girls' hostel of the Jinnah Sindh Medical University was under occupation of Sindh Rangers since long.

Speakers at a session - Sindh's educational institutes and students - organised at the third and last day of the sixth edition of the annual event at the Arts CouAncil of Pakistan Karachi also askAed the Sindh government as to why it was not playing its role in getting hostels vacated from 'forces'.

During question-answer session, JSMU Vice Chancellor Dr Amjad Siraj Memon was informed that students from other parts of the province could not continue their studies especially in Karachi because of lack of hostel facilities and increasing house rent.

Acknowledging the issue, Dr Memon stressed that hostel accommodation was a fundamental requirement of any university for its students.

He explained that under relevant laws it was mandatory for any university to have 20 per cent and 30pc hostel accommodation for boys and girls, respectively, and without such accommodation provision, the charter could not be issued to a varsity.

However, he regretted that this law was not being implemented. The VC said final year of the MBBS had been delayed at the varsity and now first year students had arrived. He wondered as to how and where to provide hostel accommodation to the students.

Efforts are on to get back JSMU girls' hostel from Rangers, says VC

He informed the audience that a girls' hostel of the JSMU had been occupied by the Sindh Rangers since long.

Referring to the girl's hostel that had been occupied by the Rangers, he said that he was in touch with authorities concerned. He said that efforts were being made to get the hostel vacated in order to provide accommodation to girl students of the university.

At the same session, human rigAhts activist Naseer Memon also spoke about the occupation of hostels by 'forces' and said that it was the responsibility of the government to provide hostel/residential accommodation to students.

He asked as to why the Sindh government was not fulfilling its responsibility to get these hostels vacated to provide accommodation to those who could not afford houses on rent in major cities like Karachi.

Educational institutions should be fully autonomous

Dr Memon said...