ISLAMABAD:The students of Islamabad Model College for Boys (IMCB) H-9 have been deprived of their much-needed hostel facility for over a decade since it was taken over by Pakistan Sweet Home (PSH) in 2012.
The affected students, hailing from financially disadvantaged families in far-flung and remote areas of the country like Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Balochistan, and Sindh have been facing immense difficulties due to the unavailability of hostel accommodation within the college campus.
As a result, they are forced to reside in unhygienic and expensive private hostels located at far-off locations in Islamabad like Chatha Bakhtawar and Bhara Kahu.
This predicament not only compromises the students’ well-being but also imposes heavy rent and transportation costs on them, as they have to commute daily from these distant private hostels to the college.
An Assistant Professor of H-9 college on the condition of anonymity said, “The injustice lies in the fact that the college possesses a hostel building on its campus, but it has been occupied by PSH, a charity organization that reportedly earns billions of rupees annually in the name of aiding orphans.”
“The students, who are in desperate need of hostel facilities, are being neglected while the charity organization continues to benefit from the donated funds without making any effort to find alternative arrangements for the H-9 college students.”
“It is imperative that PSH, considering the vast amount of financial support it receives, takes immediate steps to construct its own dedicated hostel building. By doing so, it would not only alleviate the suffering of college students who require hostel facilities but also uphold its commitment to serving the orphaned community.”
A concerned professor from the IMCB revealed that the decision of handing over the hostel to PSH was made in connivance with some officers of the Federal Directorate of Education(FDE) without consulting the college principal at that time, who could have provided valuable insights into the importance of the hostel for the students and the institution as a whole, disregarding the needs of the students who now face the consequences of this unjust act.
“As the management of PSH holds substantial influence and maintains close connections with politicians from various political parties, this, in turn, has led politicians to turn a blind eye to the student’s plight in favor of supporting PSH. The plight of students must be highlighted to ensure that their educational pursuits are not compromised due to bureaucratic negligence and the disregard of their basic needs,” he added.
Ali, a student of the college said, “It’s absolutely devastating to see how the education authorities have completely disregarded our needs as students. The hostel was not just a place to stay; it is our home away from home. Now we are forced to live in unhygienic and distant private hostels, which is not only affecting our health but also adding a significant financial burden. It feels like we have been abandoned and forgotten.”