Jai Kumar
Another student Nosheen Kazmi has been found dead on November 24, 2021 in Chandka Medical College, Larkana which is affiliated with Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU). Due to administration’s criminal negligence, evidences were useless to form a forensic report. Her father has rejected the preliminary autopsy report saying, “My daughter looked very happy while leaving home for the college.” The father said in a video statement that his daughter was an intelligent student who would study for 18 hours on end almost daily, she can not do suicide.
This isn’t the first case of it’s nature. Students have previously witnessed similar incidents including the death of Nimrata. The death of students under mysterious circumstances points towards the flaws within the institutions and also their complicity in creating unsafe spaces.
The girls hostel number-2 had two years ago also witnessed dead body of a final year student of Larkana’s dental college, Dr. Nimrata Kumari Chandani. The body of the girl was found in mysterious circumstances in her hostel room on September 16, 2019.
From the murder of Nimrata Kumari to the alleged suicide of Nosheen Kazmi in Chandka Medical College, patriarchy seems to be fastening its claws in our society. Unfortunately, countless women are victimised. Often the culprit walks away scot-free. Other students are also anxious for their safety. The government has never played its role in these cases – as Nimrata’s murderer has still not been found – and one fears that having any more expectation from it is in vain.
Many progressive organizations of students, political workers, journalists have strongly condemned this incident and are deeply disturbed at the sad incident. They demand thorough investigation of the circumstances which led to the death of the student. The students said that campuses are increasingly becoming unsafe for them.
They demand an impartial investigation in the mysterious death of Nosheen Kazmi; the inquiry must be clean and clear. There must not be the administration’s influence in the case investigation under any circumstances as it has done before in Nimrata’s case. The Administration should hold accountable due to their negligence The Vice-Chancellor and other officers should be Interrogated.
They also demand that the Vice-Chancellor be removed immediately. Three cases of students’ mysterious deaths have been reported in her tenure, but their families have not gotten justice. Secondly, it must be investigated by experts. An unbiased joint action committee should be formed, including students who had grudges in this case, whether it is murder or suicide. If it is a suicide, its causes should be found, and steps should be taken to avoid such incidents in the future. If there is murder, go to its roots, find out who is responsible, and punish those people.
These problems should be solved on scientific grounds and not personal observation by stating that it’s suicide. The concerns of parents and students should be taken into account. The steps by the administration show that investigation is biased; as we saw in Nimrata’s case, the administration declared suicide without knowing the facts and root of the problem.
While Nimrata’s samples are still kept in Lumhs hospital Jamshoro. We are looking forward to justice, but unfortunately, forensic reports have not yet come. If she committed suicide, her reports should have been made public. So the same is happening in Nosheen’s case; the administration is trying to prove it a suicide. The administration has cleverly silenced the word ‘murder’ as it sounds annoying.
From their silence, it can be inferred that they know the reality because when the body was still hanging in the fan, their statement came out that it was suicide. Suppose the administration conducts a transparent investigation of any single case. In that case, all the remaining instances will do justice to themselves. A gang of bugs are aware of each other’s crimes and are protecting each other.
If a teacher is accused of harassment, the entire teachers association will seem to defend him. The student will be treated as she committed a heinous crime. In the end, they will have no choice but to leave university or commit suicide. We don’t just talk about Nosheen’s case, but such incidents have become routine in all educational institutions. How many harassment cases have been reported with the help of social media in the recent past. We think they are a quarter of issues that come to light; otherwise, how many more such cases are suppressed.
Sometimes students are blackmailed by teachers on marks and sometimes by a clerk on attendance, so this type of case is raised repeatedly. Safety measures taken by the administration were always against students.
The first step towards safety for med Students is to have the right to have their papers rechecked in the presence of a teacher they trust. Second, to set up harassment cells in educational institutions to deal with such cases seriously and take action against the perpetrator. Third. The administration should stop trying to put a mental strain on the students and establish a mechanism where students can raise their voices against the administration’s injustice.
In the end, the student’s voice will remain silent until the student union is restored. There is no platform other than the Student Union where they get representation on an equal basis to review and solve their problems.
#JusticeForNosheenKazmi
#JusticeForNimrata
Art work: Alee Amir
