A 22 year old man in Islamabad was gangraped by his fellow students at Quaid-e-Azam University on Friday.
When the security guards saw the man limping and walking with difficulty, they suspected that the young man was probably under influence. It was later found out that he was a student at the Quaid-e-Azam University living at the hostel of the International Islamic University New Campus.
Upon inquiry and given the man’s condition it was found out that he was gangraped at the hostel of the Islamic University.
The man was immediately taken to PIMS hospital for immediate care, but upon the insistence of the university administration the man was discharged after first aid. Instead of worrying for the young man’s life and safety, they were more concerned with the reputation of the University. The man himself was scared of defamation and what lies ahead with his future.
In order to show the student that action is being taken, the disciplinary committee called an emergency meeting in secret and sacked two people who were in charge of security. According to the survivor, the heinous act was committed by three to four people.
The main person who has been accused is the brother in law of the tutor at the hostel, who was residing at the premises illegally.
According to sources, the university also has an Islamic student council but they too are silent in order to keep the university’s reputation intact, along with the administration. Some phone calls to the administration have also suggested that they sympathise more with the culprits than the victim. The medical report at PIMS has also been allegedly altered.
Instead of the administration taking a stand for the survivor and filing an FIR, to make an example out of those who have carried out the barbaric act, they are trying to save their honor. What’s shocking is that an institution where students went in hopes to get higher education, has failed to protect and defend their honour, as this isn’t the first case of sexual harassment that has been seen at the university. Moreover, students in the past have pleaded to the administration to take action against the sexual abusers by giving them proof of the assault via videos and audio recordings. This has resulted in the university keeping the accused suspects under their wings instead of the disciplinary committee actually working to safeguard the students.
Apart from this, the man behind all the crimes that have taken place in the university, the security incharge has been promoted from grade 16 to 17.
Upon inquiring further on the matter, the Rector, Principal Assistant to the Rector, Vice president Admin and Head Student Disciplinary Committee of the Islamic University could not be reached. Hence this will be another case of sexual assault which will once again be put under the rug.
Whilst our Prime Minister believes that it is the way we dress that perpetuates rape, and our government has clearly given a free pass to the barbarians on the streets, we can only hope our universities and law enforcing agencies try to make an effort for our youth, to at least give them the safety of life, promised by the state.
This incident highlights many alarming aspects of our society which are troublesome. The fact that the university did not care about the student’s needs is shocking, especially considering the physical and mental trauma he had undergone. The boy himself was scared to take the matter forward, and rightfully so, in a society that doesn’t validate a man’s emotion in any way, of course his first train of thought would have been to let the incident go.