Female students at International Islamic University (IIU) staged a protest demonstration on Monday against the administration for what they called excessive fees structures, inadequate space and poor hostel accommodation.
The frustrated female students boycotted classes and conducted a protest demonstration full of banners, placards and slogans denouncing the university administration.
The administration was quick to act and closed the main gate of the female campus.
The students were demanding a revisit of the fee structure, keeping the budget of a common person in mind. They also demanded that the management of hostels be improved.
“These people have made education a business. Poor students cannot afford the high fees and they should be considerate towards them, said Najma Sadiq, a female student.
Around 10,000 female students are currently enrolled in the university, while accommodation is available for less than half of them.
Students from the far-flung areas of the country find it very hard to get accommodation at the university hostels, she added.
Rector Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik said that all the genuine demands of the students have been accepted and would be fulfilled soon.
However, he said, the protest was led by some individuals who have already completed their studies and were even working elsewhere, but were refusing to vacate the hostels, accommodation at which is much cheaper than renting from the open-market in Islamabad. “When notices were issued to these women, they provoked other students to protest,” he said.
Presently the university has five hostels for female students, with a capacity of around 7,000. “Permission for construction of two more hostels has been received, which would help accommodate more students,” said Malik.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2011.
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