ISLAMABAD  - Dearth of hostels and other housing facilities in the federal capital for students from different areas is not only causing mental sufferings to them but also disturbing their monthly budget.
The high cost of living has added to the difficulties of students, who come from various areas of the country to get education in colleges and universities or to seek jobs in the capital.
There must be proper and affordable accommodation facilities for students, who have asked the authorities to address their problem on priority as most of the universities and colleges either have insufficient hostel facilities or have no such arrangements. Zahoor Ahmad Khan told the agency that he belonged to a village of Gilgit-Baltistan and was studying at Islamic International University.
Due to non-availability of accommodation in the university hostels, he was living at a private hostel and paying Rs 8,000, which was very difficult for him to afford.
He said that the private hostels besides lacking proper cleanness provide sub-standard food and charge extra amount on account of utility bills for using electric fan or room cooler in summer and gas heater in winter. He urged the authorities concerned to establish more government hostels, with basic facilities for students at affordable rates.
Mohammad Bilal, another student, said that the rents of hostels and houses had surged during a last few years due to influx of the students and job seekers to the twin cities. “I am paying Rs 9,000 for a single unfurnished room, and the owner raises rent by 10 percent every year,” he added.
Another student, Sehrish Ali, said she was sharing a small room of a private hostel with four other girls and was paying Rs 5,000 per month, inclusive charges for two time meals and breakfast. She complained of the same problems like lack of proper cleanliness and sub-standard food.
She stressed that the educational instructions should be bound by the authorities concerned to provide boarding, lodging and other facilities to their students as most of them functioning up in hired buildings lack space and other facilities.
Waheed Ahmad, living in Shamsabad said that the main cause of the accommodation shortage in the twin cities was the lack of bachelor hostels and proper housing schemes. He said that he had been facing residential problem since the time, he came to Islamabad in for completing his studies, and then his job afterwards.
“In the past few years, I have changed many places for living due to the ill-attitude of landlords and sometimes the lack of basic facilities,” he added.
He said that the setting up of more hostels could bring relief to the bachelors who came here from other areas of the country in search of jobs and education.