BAHAWALPUR, Oct 23: Security of 18 foreign students of the Quaid-i-Azam Medical College (QAMC) has become a serious problem for police, as the foreigners do not want to stay in hostels.

There are 18 students from many countries, including Palestine, Syria, Ethiopia and Sudan, studying at the QAMC. After incidents of terrorism in the country and on the directive of the government to increase security of foreigners, the Bahawalpur district police officer wrote to Principal Mazharul Attique asking him to shift the students from their private residences to college hostels for their safety.

The principal conveyed the students the instructions but they declined to live in hostels. Dr Attique told Dawn on Thursday that he had summoned these students and asked them to shift to hostels. He said the civil administration and college management would not be responsible for their security outside the campus.

According to him, foreign students said they did not want to shift to hostel. The principal said the embassies in Pakistan had also been informed about the refusal of students to accept accommodation in hostels.