LUMS clarifies drug policy after student's death in hostel room

Varsity says it recognises drug and substance abuse as a real challenge plaguing educational institutions

Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on Tuesday issued a statement clarifying its stance on drug usage on campus as police reports suggested a student who was found dead in an on-campus hostel room had overdosed on drugs.

LUMS student and hostel resident Shahmir Asif Bajwa was found unresponsive in bed in his room on December 12. The LUMS administration was called when efforts to rouse him failed and Shahmir was immediately taken to the nearest hospital (National Defence Hospital) where doctors pronounced he had expired earlier in the day.



In its statement issued late Tuesday, the university said, “There has since been speculation within the media that Shahmir’s death was caused by a drug overdose. While the cause of death has yet to be determined, the LUMS administration would like to make clear that it recognises that drug and substance abuse is a real challenge plaguing educational institutions and society at large, and that this issue is taken extremely seriously.”

LUMS has a zero tolerance policy against all intoxicants and has regular vigilance and oversight to prevent availability of drugs and illegal substances on campus, the varsity added. Delving into details regarding its efforts to curb drug usage on campus, the official statement said, “This involves two layers of security and hostel staff. Any infractions are reported and dealt with according to procedures that are transparent and documented. A firm principled approach is taken with all students who are in violation of the zero tolerance policy.”



“A well-trained security force with SOPs regarding entry and exit from campus ensures general safety at LUMS.  The campus is well covered with CCTV, and all reports of drug violations, whether from security staff, cameras, or individual complaints, are followed up rigorously,” it added.

LUMS further said, “It is also recognised that addiction is a medical condition. In cases where students have sought help, they have been referred for medical treatment.”

LUMS has a trained full-time psychologist on board for both counselling and awareness-raising on all issues of concern, including drug and substance abuse. “To ensure that everything possible is being done to prevent drug and substance abuse, all aspects of our system are periodically reviewed and revised as deemed necessary,” it added.



Shahmir’s family reached Lahore from Karachi today as they were unable to earlier due to fog. A resident of Karachi, he was a student of Accounting and Finance in his fifth semester.