Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) South Punjab, Fuad Hashim Rabbani, has taken serious notice of a disturbing incident of harassment involving a female student at Islamia University Bahawalpur and directed the university administration to submit a comprehensive report without delay. In this regard, Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Kamran met the ACS at his office to brief him on the incident. Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Professor Dr Rubina Bhatti and Professor Dr Salman bin Naeem were also present during the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rabbani said that harassment of women is a red line set by Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, and such misconduct would not be tolerated under any circumstances. “Those who attempt to obstruct the educational journey of the nation’s daughters will be made an example,” he said.
He further said that educational institutions must be cleansed of such elements to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for female students. “Those who tarnish the dignity of reputable institutions like Islamia University must face strict punitive action,” he added.
The ACS also asked questions about the university’s mechanism for handling harassment complaints and demanded inquiry reports of all such incidents over the past four years.
Briefing the ACS, Vice Chancellor Dr Kamran said that the university follows a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment. He informed the ACS that the visiting professor involved in the recent incident had been terminated from service, and contracts of all visiting faculty members had been suspended. A new recruitment process has been initiated to ensure transparency and integrity in hiring.