Inquiry: Panel to probe student’s mysterious death

College students call off protest following assurances of a transparent probe

RAWALPINDI: Students of a Rawalpindi postgraduate college, where a student was found dead last week, continued their protest against the college’s administration for the fourth day.

The students only dispersed after Punjab Education Minister Raza Hafeez met with them and assured them that a transparent investigation will be held where allegations of the students will be thoroughly probed.

Students had found 20-year-old Urooj Fatima dead in her hostel room on Friday morning. They had claimed that the death of the Bachelors of Studies (BS) third-semester student had been caused by a bite from a poisonous creature on the grounds of the Government Postgraduate Degree College for Women located on the Sixth Road in Rawalpindi’s Satellite Town area. On Monday, students of the college were joined by students from other colleges in Rawalpindi who protested outside the college.

Apart from chanting slogans against the alleged negligence of the college and hostel’s administration, they also set some tyres on fire.

Students also stopped colleges director at the college gate and refused to let him pass. As the situation worsened the provincial education minister reached the college and held a dialogue with students for over two hours.

During the talks, Hafeez said that five students from the college had been included in the investigation committee so that the inquiry is not only transparent, but accusations levelled by the students can also be investigated.

Hafeez further said that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had directed him to personally monitor the progress of the investigation. He said that if the situation improves, the college could open as soon as Wednesday.

After assurances from provincial education minister, the students called off their protest and dispersed peacefully.

Speaking to media, some of the protesting students said that the college administration had been trying to cover up their alleged negligence over Fatima’s death.

They further claimed that the college administration had asked them to stay silent over the matter. Students said there were poor security arrangements and cleanliness in the hostel and despite repeated complaints, the hostel administration had done little.

Students further said that they hope the committee would conduct transparent investigations as directed by the minister and that admissions of the protesting students would not be cancelled as retribution for raising their voice. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2018.