Miseries of students living in private hostels

Islamabad

The situation in private youth hostels has reached the extent where big wooden and iron boxes are also being given on rents to the students who fail to find rooms due to growing inflow of students from other parts of the country. 

The wooden and iron boxes have been placed on rooftops, under the stairs and open spaces in the premises of the hostels and those who never find vacant rooms think it advisable to avail this opportunity in the face of non-availability of the housing units.

"The owner of this youth hostel placed big iron boxes on different spots some weeks back and now all of them have been given on rent to the students. These boxes have no windows except an opening from where any person can enter into it," said Shahzad Iqbal, a student who lives in a youth hostel in sector G-9/1.

The educational institutions operating in the public and private sectors are not able to accommodate huge number of students in their hostels this is why most of the students belonging to other parts of the country have to rely upon the private hostels, which have become one of the most profitable businesses in the city.

Saad Abbasi, who lives in a student hostel in G-11 sector, said the food is economical but its standard is often very low and if they are a bit late then they have to eat it from outside.

"The owners must bring their profit level down so that the students can live an affordable dwelling. The universities and institutes must provide hostel facility to their students and the concerned authorities in the government must intervene in order to facilitate the outstation students," he said.