A few days ago, while searching for hostels in Islamabad’s G-10 area, I visited one, and it seemed safe, clean and well-maintained. Later that night, while scrolling through videos, I stumbled upon the story of a young woman who was murdered inside that very hostel by a man who hid there for hours before taking her life. I was stunned. How does a place that became the site of a woman’s murder continue to operate as if nothing happened? The place is still running, with rent as high as Rs22,000 for a room shared by three. Why was the place not shut down at least temporarily for investigation? The answer is simple; in Pakistan, tragedies involving women are whitewashed, not resolved.
The real issue lies in the system — or rather, the absence of one. Private girls’ hostels across Pakistan operate with little to no oversight. Many are unregistered, run out of residential buildings, and managed by unverified staff. There is no formal mechanism to inspect their safety standards, verify employees, or monitor surveillance systems.
This lack of regulation is not just an administrative neglect; it is structural violence. It forces women to choose between affordability and safety — a choice no one should have to make. As such, students and working women, far from home, pay exorbitant rents for the illusion of protection. Meanwhile, hostel-owners profit from desperation and demand, unchecked by any legal responsibility.
The murder story is not just about one girl or one hostel. It is about how we, as a society, fail to trace injustice to its roots. We treat violence as an isolated act, not as a symptom of institutional rot. We demand arrests, but not reforms. We mourn victims, but never pressure lawmakers to ensure no more victims are created.
If we truly want change, it must begin with accountability. Hostels should be legally bound to register under provincial authorities, undergo regular safety audits, and employ verified staff. Surveillance systems should be monitored externally, and every city should establish a regulatory body that may ensure safety, transparency and dignity for every single resident.
RAKHSHANDA ABBAS
GILGIT
