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Islamabad:Chairman of the Pakhtun Students Council at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Inam Tareen, has urged the government to immediately provide funds for the construction of new hostels, stating that access to safe and affordable accommodation is a basic right of students. He made it clear that the ongoing protest will continue until the students’ demands are met.He expressed these views while addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, Islamabad, along with Vice Presidents Dadullah, Fatima, and other council members.Inam Tareen said that Quaid-i-Azam University has more than 14,000 enrolled students, but hostel facilities are available to only about 1,500 of them. As a result, a large number of students are forced to live in nearby informal settlements under difficult conditions.He highlighted that on January 8, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the local administration issued a two-day notice to students to vacate their residences, with the possibility of demolition. This action has come at a highly sensitive time, as annual examinations are approaching and students are fully engaged in exam preparations. The eviction notices have caused severe mental stress among students and pose a serious threat to their academic performance. According to him, neither the CDA nor the university administration has presented any alternative housing solution for the affected students. Keeping this situation in view, the Pakhtun Students Council announced a protest, and a strike has been ongoing at the university for the past two days.
He further stated that the Vice Chancellor has written to the relevant authorities seeking funds for the construction of new hostels, but no response has been received so far.Reiterating the students’ stance, Inam Tareen said their demand is simple and justified: the provision of adequate residential facilities. He warned that the strike will not be called off until concrete steps are taken, adding that other student organizations within the federation will also join the protest if the issue remains unresolved.
