Students of Bolan Medical College have sat on ‘fast unto death’ strike in Quetta
More than 24 hours have been passed since Younis Elahi and Farhad Karim, students of final year at Bolan Medical College, began their hunger strike against the alleged ‘deliberate failing’ of them in examinations.
Younis Elahi and Farhad Karim both belong to poverty hit regions of Balochistan and had secured Medical college seats after topping the district merit in 2013.
Talking to the TBP English correspondent, a student of Bolan Medical College said, “If both students could reach the final year with ease, it is illogical that they would suddenly become so incompetent that they will fail in a viva examination. If they had no understanding of the subject, they would have failed the written exam too not just the viva, where teacher deliberately failed them”.
Mr Younis and Farhad both released video messages prior to sitting on the hunger strike. The claimed that they and other students became victims of a ‘teacher’s ego’, who ‘knowingly wasted’ their year, and upon questioning the teacher, the students were apparently blamed that they have passed the written test by cheating.
Both the students have sat on a hunger strike in a camp built for the purpose. Students and citizens of Quetta city in large numbers visited the protesters until late last night, some also slept in the open camp with the protestors to show support and solidarity.
In a press release, Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC) said, “It is a conspiracy against education as the teachers in the prestigious medical college of Balochistan fail the students based on their personal choices”.
“We appeal the Vice Chancellor of Balochistan University and Chief Justice of Balochistan high court to take notice of the students’ sufferings and end the hunger strike and provide them justice”, further read the BSAC’s statement.
On the second day of the hunger strike, the health of both the students has started to deteriorate as they have not eaten a single bite since yesterday.
Baloch students have chosen this form of protest in past too.
In 2014, Latif Johar, a Baloch student sat on hunger strike for 46 days for the safe release of BSO-Azad’s chairman Zahid Baloch. Similarly, Noroz and Saddam Baloch sat unto death hunger strikes in front of Quaid-e-Azam university Islamabad against the ‘unjust expulsion’ of Baloch stuents from the varsity.