"The girls sell their bodies for favours"
Pakistan has only a handful of universities that excel in their respective fields of education. Consequently, many individuals are compelled to leave their homes in pursuit of quality education.
The significant influx of students migrating to major cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, in search of education, poses a challenge.
This is because universities cannot accommodate all of them within their internal hostels.
This situation has led to the emergence of private hostels in these cities. They are catering to the increasing number of people relocating for work and education each year.
A significant proportion of these individuals moving to urban areas comprises young girls seeking education.
These girls come from various parts of the country, with most having recently completed their college education and now pursuing university degrees.
Given that Pakistan is a conservative country, particularly concerning women, these girls often experience newfound freedom for the first time.
This fresh independence can be overwhelming, as they must learn to assert themselves, manage their affairs, and adapt to a new city.
Unfortunately, many of the public hostels lack proper monitoring and legal compliance, and their conditions are subpar.
Many girls opt for these hostels due to their affordability compared to the higher-quality hostels available on the market.
Numerous hostels suffer from inadequate living conditions, with poor maintenance. Often, these hostels are simply homes converted into overcrowded accommodations.
This results in a single room accommodating as many as seven to eight girls.
To gain a deeper understanding of the issues faced by these girls and their living conditions, DESIblitz visited several hostels in Islamabad.
We interviewed the residents to gain insights into their lives in hostels.
Harassment and Mistreatment
One such hostel we visited was Hostel City, located near COMSATS University, known for its dense population of student hostels.
During our visit, we spoke with Seema*, a student at COMSATS, who is currently residing in a hostel in the area.
When asked about her decision to choose this area and her overall experience of hostel life, Seema shared her thoughts:
“I am from Jhelum, and I came here two years ago to pursue a degree in Cyber Security at COMSATS.
“This place is within walking distance from my university, so my family decided to place me in a hostel here.
“Unfortunately, we are treated disrespectfully by many individuals here, who view us as objects.
“We are treated like prostitutes here and everyone hoots at us.”
“Initially, I found it difficult and would often cry.
“However, over time, I made friends and adapted to the situation.”
We inquired about the living conditions, and she responded:
“Most of the rooms are overcrowded, and the landlords often mistreat the girls. Even the guards demand money when we want to go out.”
When asked why she doesn’t report these issues to the police, Seema explained:
“They blackmail us by threatening to inform our parents about our alleged involvement with boys at night and engaging in inappropriate activities.”
Curious as to why she doesn’t change her hostel, she mentioned that the better hostels are beyond her financial means.
We also spoke with another resident, Misbah*, and asked about her experience of hostel life. She responded:
“It consists of constantly getting harassed by everyone and getting stared at all the time.”
We had a conversation with Waniya*, a teacher at a private school, who provided insights into her hostel life. She expressed:
“It’s very difficult for a woman to work in Pakistan, and if you are in hostels, people make it impossible for you.”
We asked her if she had any incidents that happened to her, and she revealed:
“Some boys started to follow me to my hostel daily, and when I told my landlord, he said, ‘It’s your problem if they do anything in society. I will file a complaint against you.’
“But I eventually went to the police, and the boys stopped coming.”
Inquiring about the work that the girls in the hostel engage in, Waniya mentioned:
“Most of the girls here come from a very poor background, so they must earn to make their ends meet.”
Here, we can see that women are in a frail position when it should be a time of happy and safe independence.
These stories also emphasise the lack of structure and protection of residents, which is even more alarming for families of these girls.
Illicit Activities
Additionally, DESIblitz visited Sector E-11, a popular area in Islamabad, to gather the opinions of girls who come to work.
Momina*, an engineering student tells us:
“It is unbelievable to a lot of people but this place is filthy. I have literally seen people having intercourse in alleys over here.
“Living here doesn’t feel like you’re living in Pakistan. It’s just so shady! Everything illegal happens here.”
Another woman, Hadia*, stated:
“It’s very common for girls and boys to spend nights in each other’s hostels here. No one keeps a check on what happens behind closed doors.”
We interviewed Misbah*, who provided further details:
“Our hostel warden has girls that let him sleep with them so they can go out at night, and the hostel warden also waives off their hostel fees in exchange for their bodies.
“The new girls, especially, are hunted down like sheep in a crowd of lions.”
Saqib*, a student of Air University said:
“I have a friend who studies at Quaid-e-Azam University and I went to visit him there. We were freely able to go into the girls’ hostel on campus.
“It’s literally being used as a hub of prostitution and drugs. The girls sell their bodies for favours.
“My friend went upstairs in a private room with a girl and another girl offered me some substances to smoke. I was shocked.”
He further explained that many girls entered into ‘temporary nikkah’ at Quaid-e-Azam University and got rooms there to live together:
“They hide this from their families back home, who have no idea what their girls are up to.”
Prostitution
We went to the F-10 sector to investigate further and found girls standing on the streets nearby.
Cars driven by men of various ages were picking up girls from there.
We approached some girls to ask them about their experiences and understand their situations.
Initially, no one was willing to talk to us. However, after persistent efforts, one girl agreed to share her story.
We asked her who she was and what she was doing there. She revealed:
“I am from Kamuki, and I came here to study. I arrived in 2018 and stayed in a hostel in E11. Later, I even found work at a parlour there.
“However, when the Coronavirus pandemic hit, I lost my job and was kicked out of the hostel I was staying at.
“I struggled a lot during that period, but eventually, I had to sell my body to earn money.”
Curious about her situation, we asked why she couldn’t find alternative employment.
She explained that she can earn almost PKR 7,000 to 10,000 per night through this means.
This allowed her to send substantial money back home to support her younger siblings.
We asked her if the police intervene, and she replied:
“Mostly, they don’t do anything. Sometimes they take advantage of us, using our bodies, and even steal our money.”
When we inquired about why there are so many girls involved in similar activities, she said:
“The attractive ones become the companions of one man, while the average-looking ones like me have to stand on the streets and be used by anyone and everyone.”
We asked her about her biggest fear while spending nights on the streets, and she replied:
“My biggest fear is that if anyone ever tells my family about what I do, or if they find out, my parents would be devastated and might even consider ending their own lives due to the shame.
“To them, I am doing a decent job here.”
She mentioned living in a hostel in E11, so we asked her about her perception of the people there regarding her situation.
She shared that her hostel warden is also involved in illicit activities.
“He allows men to enter the girls’ hostel by accepting money from them, turning the rooms into makeshift hotels.
“Unfortunately, many private hostels have turned into hubs for prostitution in the city.
“The owners of these establishments are well aware that the girls would never report them, enabling them to profit from the desperation and vulnerability of these young women.”
Authorities have taken action against several such places in Islamabad, leading to their closure.
In the bustling neighbourhood of I-8, Islamabad, a girls’ hostel was discovered to be engaging in illicit activities. They were offering call girl services.
This disturbing revelation came to light when concerned neighbours reported the establishment to the police.
More people must come forward and report such instances. These occurrences are gradually transforming Pakistani society into a nightmare for women.
The authorities must take swift action against these substandard hostels, and stricter legislation should be enacted to eradicate such illegal activities.
The reality of girls’ hostels is grim, but immediate steps must be taken to improve their conditions.
The government should make it mandatory for universities to provide on-campus hostels specifically designed for female students.
Furthermore, female professionals seeking employment should be provided with government-run hostels, offering them a safe and convenient place to stay.
By implementing these measures, a more secure and supportive environment for women pursuing education and careers can be ensured.
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