Medical college hostels combed

Verification of the residents of all public sector medical colleges' hostels across Punjab was launched on Sunday after the Specialised healthcare and medical education department ordered the institutions to immediately identify and remove every unauthorised occupant from government residential facilities. The action described by officials as one of the largest hostel verification campaigns began within hours of the directive issued to all government medical universities, colleges and teaching hospitals. The notification dated August 22 directed the vice chancellors, principals, deans, executive directors, heads and medical superintendents to ensure that hostel accommodation was occupied only by students and staff possessing valid allotment orders. The department instructed every institution to submit a compliance report by noon on Monday, terming the matter "most urgent". On Sunday morning, administrative teams accompanied by hostel wardens and security personnel launched room-to-room inspections in medical colleges, particularly in Lahore, where the province has its largest concentration of government medical institutions. The officials checked hostel allotment records, student identity cards, enrollment documents and room registers to verify the status of every resident. According to sources, the verification teams found several occupants unable to produce hostel allotment documents. They were directed to vacate the accommodation immediately. In several hostels, unauthorised residents reportedly packed their belongings and left after being informed that continued illegal occupation could result in disciplinary or legal action. The operation was conducted simultaneously in a number of institutions and is expected to continue until every hostel resident is verified against official records. The sources said the administrations were updating hostel occupancy registers before forwarding compliance reports to the department. Major institutions in Lahore, including King Edward Medical University, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Ameerud Din Medical College and Postgraduate Medical Institute manage dozens of hostels accommodating undergraduate students, postgraduate trainees, house officers and resident doctors. Verification drives were also under way or expected in Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Sahiwal and Dera Ghazi Khan. Officials involved in the action said unauthorised occupation had become a growing administrative concern. Hostel rooms meant for students are allegedly occupied in some cases by former pupils after graduation, guests staying without permission, individuals sharing rooms illegally and other persons lacking official authorisation. The verification is intended to eliminate such irregularities and ensure that limited government accommodation is reserved exclusively for eligible students and employees. Sources familiar with the operation also indicated that some Afghan nationals residing in hostels without allotment were among those asked to leave. However, officials stressed that the campaign was not based on nationalities. Every occupant is being assessed solely on the basis of valid allotment and institutional affiliation. Any person unable to establish legal entitlement to government accommodation is liable to eviction regardless of nationality or background, they said.