Hundreds of female students residing in International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI)’s hostels on Monday morning locked all the gates of the varsity, denying entry to any students and teachers into the varsity in a protest against what they called the ‘unjustifiable utility charges and hostel fee’ they were compelled to pay.
After blocking all gates, the female student protestors burnt tyres in the IIUI premises and raised slogans against the IIUI administration.
The female students carried placards inscribed with various slogans in favour of their demands.
Due to the strike, all educational activities remained suspended in IIUI on Monday.
They were of the view that without any justification, the IIUI administration had raised their hostel fee while they were being provided substandard and costly food items at the university’s mess and cafeteria.
“We are being forced to pay for an amount of food we do not get,” said Nazish, a BBA student.
The protesting students said IIUI was charging extra dues even for using the fridge and iron and two girls were forced to sleep on one bed.
“Despite paying hefty sums of money to the university, we are being asked for forced sharing of our beds,” said Nargis Shah, an Masters in English student.
The students demanded of the university administration to suspend the hostel warden Sumaria Niaz as she had failed in addressing problems being confronted by the boarding students. Later on, the protesting students presented 10 points of their demands to the IIUI president, who accepted their demands and referred the hostel warden Sumaria Niaz case to a committee and assured the students that the committee would decide Sumaria’s case on Tuesday (today). On this note, the students called off their strike.
