Sindh Asked to Deploy Women Commandos in Girls Hostels

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered the Sindh Government to deploy women commandos in and outside of girls’ hostels of all public and private universities in the province.

According to details, the court has made this decision to ensure complete protection of the lives of hostel students to enable them to study in a peaceful environment.

The court has directed the Sindh Government to ensure only women are deployed as staff members in the hostels of all universities across Sindh. It has also warned to initiate contempt proceedings against the administrations of universities failing to comply with the court’s latest directives.

The brief verdict came on Wednesday during the hearing of a case that challenged the forced leave of Vice-Chancellor (VC) Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical (SMBBM) University Larkana, Dr. Aneela Atta-ur-Rehman, after two female hostel students allegedly committed suicide in the space of two years.

During the hearing, the two-member bench of the SHC headed by Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar allowed Dr. Aneela Atta-ur-Rehman to resume the charge as the court found no provision in the SMBBM University Act for sending the VC on forced leave.

Note here that Nimirta Chandani, a final-year BDS student, was found dead in her hostel room in September 2019. Her death was later declared suicide under controversial circumstances. Nosheen Shah Kazmi, a fourth-year MBBS student, was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her hostel room in November 2021.

Both deaths are being investigated by the authorities. Last month, it was reported that investigators had found fresh DNA evidence that indicated that a man is behind both deaths.