KARACHI: Civil society organisations, students, political workers and family members on Saturday staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club over the probe into the reported suicide of Fahmeeda Laghari, a medical student in Mirpurkhas.

The demonstrators protested against the alleged lack of a proper investigation and the failure to arrest the nominated suspects.

They also called for the activation of anti-harassment committees at educational institutions.

Qazi Khizar, vice chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), told Dawn that members of the HRCP, Aurat Foundation and students participated in the protest at the call of the victim’s family.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers, including women, also held a demonstration outside the press club.

However, PTI-Sindh President Haleem Adil Shaikh alleged that police had detained two women party workers, Husna Butt and Huma.

He said the action reflected the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government’s “authoritarian tendencies”.

However, police officials did not respond to Dawn’s queries regarding the PTI’s allegations.

The female victim, Ms Laghari, was a third-year medical student who allegedly shot herself at her home after facing harassment in college.

Her family, along with residents of Satellite Town and civil society activists, also staged protests at the Toll Plaza, demanding the arrest of those they accused of harassing her. The family alleged that the suspects included the college principal and several students.

Police conducted raids at multiple locations and detained some suspects, while efforts to arrest others were underway till late Saturday evening.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2026