KARACHI: Speakers at a seminar on Saturday highlighted serious gaps in addressing harassment complaints and mental health challenges faced by students in medical institutions across Sindh.

The concerted view expressed by the stakeholders was that stronger enforcement of existing laws was urgently needed, as they warned that weak implementation continued to leave students vulnerable to harassment and, in some cases, suicidal behaviour.

Held at the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) House, the seminar, titled “Harassment and Suicidal Incidents in Medical Institutions of Sindh: Reasons and Solutions,” brought together academics, health professionals and rights activists.

The session was moderated by Dr Qaiser Sajjad, who explained that around 15 students had died by suicide over the past decade, with harassment cited as a major contributing factor in many cases. He added that three such incidents had already been reported in the current year.

Weak enforcement of laws linked to rising distress among students; stakeholders call for psychologists on campuses and institutional accountability

Speaking on the occasion, Dow Medical College principal Saba Sohail said that while students face numerous problems, many lack access to proper support systems and are often unsure where to report their concerns. “There’s no one who can listen to them.”

Qazi Khizar of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) referred to the recent case of medical student Fahmeeda Laghari, who died by suicide.

He said the HRCP had compiled a timeline of the case. He noted that the student had filed a complaint at her college in Khairpur. However, there was no existing harassment committee at the time.

He said that although a committee was later formed on the vice chancellor’s directive, it took several days and failed to conduct a proper investigation and instead “counselled” the victim. He added that no concrete action was taken, and the accused teacher remained present at the institution, which contributed to the student’s distress.

Mr Khizar emphasised that while laws against harassment exist in Pakistan, weak implementation remains a key issue. Without effective enforcement and greater awareness, he warned, such incidents would continue.

General Secretary of PMA Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said the concerned institution in Khairpur had failed to take ownership of its student and instead appeared to protect the suspect.

He stressed that institutional leadership must prioritise student welfare and address grievances responsibly.

Sanaullah Memon, representing the Sindh government’s human rights department, said harassment was not confined to educational institutions and existed in multiple forms. However, he said that while complaints are filed in academic settings, limited resources hinder effective redressal.

He stressed the need for functional committees in all institutions and pointed out that many female students did not report incidents to their families due to shame, fear, or the possibility of an unpredictable reaction.

He underscored the importance of improving the home environment and organising more awareness sessions.

Vice Chancellor of Karachi Metropolitan University, Wasim Qazi, said that many inquiry committees lacked competence and required proper training. He noted that members often try to suppress cases to protect colleagues.

He recommended the use of digital tools, including learning modules and animated videos, to raise awareness through university websites and social media pages.

He also called for the appointment of resident psychologists across campuses so that distressed students can approach them.

Shamim Chandani from the Baqai College of Nursing said that there is a need to share the harassment policy during the orientation of both students and new faculty members in medical colleges.

Sana Azhar, a representative of the Young Doctors Association at the National Institute of Child Health, said that doctors had faced repeated incidents of harassment and physical violence, but no effective reporting or response mechanism was in place despite protests.

Similarly, it was shared by someone from the audience that there existed a “harassment group” at Jinnah Sindh Medical University which harasses employees and quite a few incidents in that regard have been reported, he claimed.

Tariq Rafi, chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission, said students were increasingly disconnected from their families and lacked emotional outlets, contributing to rising stress levels and, in some cases, suicidal thoughts.

“We are all responsible for such incidents and should feel accountable,” he said and urged stakeholders to ensure such matters are properly addressed.

In his concluding remarks, Dr Tipu Sultan of PMA said medical students faced multiple pressures, including financial and academic burdens.

He added that several aspects of the issue remained unexplored and called for more discussions to develop effective solutions.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026