Funerals held for Dow University students who drowned at sea

Funeral prayers for two final-year students of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), who drowned in the sea earlier this week, were offered on Thursday.

Ahmed Kashif Rasool’s funeral prayer was held at Masjid Mustafa in DHA Phase I, followed by burial at a local graveyard amid emotional scenes. A large number of Dow faculty members, students, relatives, and friends attended the funeral.

The funeral of Ashhad Abbas Fatmi was held at the Country Garden Apartments mosque in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, while the body of another student, Ishrab Munir Chaudhry, was sent to Toba Tek Singh for burial.

A sombre atmosphere prevailed at Dow University throughout the day as students and teachers mourned the loss of their classmates. According to Dow University Vice Principal Dr Saba Sohail, the vice chancellor and faculty members will visit the families of the deceased students on Friday to offer condolences.

The university has also scheduled a condolence meeting for the deceased students at 9am on Friday at the Muin Auditorium. Meanwhile, three students who were rescued from the sea were shifted to the Trauma Centre. Two of them — Rizwan and Rabeeh — were provided medical treatment and admitted, while another student, Abdul Majeed, was moved to the medical ICU.

Dow University Vice Chancellor Dr Nazli Hossain has directed the hospital administration to ensure special medical care for the injured students. The Civil Hospital administration has been instructed to provide dedicated treatment to the survivors.

Report sought

The Department of Boards and Universities has requested a report from the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) administration regarding the drowning of three final-year students in the sea.

Speaking to The News, Secretary of Boards and Universities Abbas Baloch described the incident as “deeply tragic,” noting that it resulted in the loss of three future doctors. He said that after receiving the report, the department would make “important decisions,” including the possibility of banning such trips across universities in the province.

Abbas Baloch added that it is not the university’s responsibility to take students on recreational outings. “Moreover, the weather was cold, and there was no justification for visiting the sea at this time of year,” he remarked.