No girls’ hostel for Murray College

SIALKOT – It seems that the ordeal of girl students of the Government Murray College will continue, as the century-old institute does not have any girl hostel. As many as 2,000 girl students have been facing residential problems. They are forced to live in rented houses near and around the college that has prompted security concerns.

Several girl students say they have no other option available with them. They say they have to pay higher rents, between Rs 4,000-5,000 per month.

Their parents say they were very much concerned about their daughters. They appeal to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take this matter into consideration and issue orders for the early establishment of a girl hostel. Established during the British era in 1889, the Government Murray College Sialkot had been the alma mater of Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

The college never had any hostel for its girl students. For the past 123 years, the college has been waiting for a hostel for its female students.

The college’s principal, Prof Javaid Akhtar Billah, says that all-out efforts were being made to make Murray College Sialkot a “Centre of Excellence”. He says the college would soon be granted the “degree-awarding status”, as it was in dire need of getting a varsity status.

He says the college has been lacking classrooms following the start of four-year BS Education Programmme that had a high number of enrolments and more students were seeking admission to the programme. He complains there are only eight classrooms for over 5,000 students. He said that the Punjab government should also establish a campus of Govt. Murray College Sialkot after giving it the status of university. There is little furniture in the classrooms or no furniture at all.

A few years ago, the Punjab government released to the college funds of Rs40.01m, but the then administration spent the money on purchase of other things instead of furniture.

The Nation