A 21-year-old third-year medical student died by suicide at her home in Mirpurkhas on Thursday, with her family blaming a teacher and male colleagues at Ibn-e-Sina University for harassment and blackmail that drove her to take her own life.

 

According to media reports, Fahmeeda Laghari, daughter of Intezar Laghari, shot herself at her residence near Shama Ground in the Satellite Town police station limits. 

 

Her postmortem was conducted at Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas.

 

Her parents and sister held a press conference on Thursday and accused university officials of ignoring her complaints. 

 

Chancellor Dr Syed Razi Muhammad told the media that the university's principal had received a verbal complaint from Fahmeeda but asked her to submit a written complaint. He said the complaint against lecturer Abid Lighari and student Abdullah never reached his office. 

 

The university subsequently suspended Abid Lighari, as per a notification issued by Vice Chancellor Dr Shamsul Arfeen Khan.

 

DIG Mirpurkhas Capt (R) Faisal Abdullah Chachar has formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter. SSP Syed Fida Hussain Shah will head the probe, with SP Headquarters Mir Aftab Hussain Talpur and ASP Quratulain being appointed the other members. 

 

The committee must complete its investigation within 10 days, looking into the circumstances surrounding her death, identifying any individuals who may have compelled her to take this step, and recommending legal and disciplinary action.

 

Sindh Culture Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah contacted the family and assured them of his support in ensuring an impartial investigation. He reportedly directed IG Sindh Javed Alam Odho and DIG Mirpurkhas to ensure anyone found responsible faces legal consequences.

 

Sindh Minister for Women Development Shahina Sher Ali also took notice of the incident and directed the department's Deputy Director Tariq Waheed and Assistant Director Fozia Jamali to assist the family, while calling on police to conduct a thorough investigation.