LAHORE, Pakistan — Punjab School and Higher Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat ordered a high-powered inquiry Friday into the death of University of Lahore student Awais Sultan after classmates alleged he was barred from exams over an attendance shortfall. The decision came as students demanded clearer grievance channels and transparency around how attendance rules are enforced, Dec. 27, 2025.
As Dawn reported, Hayat said the committee includes vice chancellors from public and private universities and was asked to submit its report within four days. He said the university and the provincial Higher Education Department had already conducted two internal inquiries before he ordered the additional probe.
Awais Sultan, 22, was enrolled in a Pharm-D program and died Dec. 19 after a fall from an upper floor of a campus building. The Current reported that CCTV footage circulated online and that relatives have asked for a transparent investigation into what led up to the incident.
Why Awais Sultan’s case is testing the University of Lahore attendance policy
Family members and classmates say Awais Sultan was told he could not sit an examination because his attendance was short in a single subject — a decision they claim would have jeopardized his entire semester despite tuition having been paid. The allegations have fueled student anger and calls for clearer rules and appeal options, details also reported by Daily Times.
The questions raised by Awais Sultan’s death go beyond a single attendance calculation. Students and advocates are pressing for transparent attendance records, written warning procedures and a way to challenge academic penalties before they become a make-or-break setback. “Attendance requirements are a legitimate part of academic regulation. However, their enforcement must be consistent and transparent, accompanied by clear avenues for appeal,” an editorial in The Express Tribune said.
The University of Lahore, meanwhile, has said it is engaging with students and reviewing concerns raised after Awais Sultan’s death. The Friday Times reported that senior officials met protesters, announced a grievance committee and set up a student mental health helpline, while also holding a funeral prayer on campus. The outlet reported that university officials cited preliminary findings suggesting personal, non-academic factors and said there was no evidence so far linking the incident to university policies or administrative actions.
Awais Sultan’s death revives a long-running attendance debate
Disputes over attendance enforcement predate Awais Sultan’s case by decades. A 2002 Dawn report described officials and administrators struggling to apply a compulsory 75% attendance requirement for exams — and warning that rigid enforcement could keep large numbers of students out of test halls.
In a similar flashpoint years later, a 2015 Express Tribune report said dozens of National Textile University students protested after they were barred from finals for failing to meet a 75% attendance prerequisite, underscoring how quickly attendance disputes can spill into campus unrest.
Beyond policy, pressure and support remain central questions
Student advocates say the scrutiny sparked by Awais Sultan’s death should also include mental health services and crisis response. After another student death, a 2019 Dawn report noted that an inquiry committee recommended expanding counseling, ensuring students understood available services, and monitoring academic performance — including attendance — more closely.
For now, the government inquiry ordered after Awais Sultan’s death is expected to examine institutional policies, administrative conduct and any possible negligence. Many students and families say the case of Awais Sultan has become a test of whether universities can balance academic standards with transparent appeals and humane support.
