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Friday, October 4, 2024

Countrywide Protests Held on Balochistan University’s Sexual Harassment

The protestors call for immediate action against the culprit to restore the confidence of the public and pacify the agitated students.

The students of Balochistan University continue to protest against the university administration after a series of reports harassing students emerged on media.

Various student organisations on Thursday staged a protest outside the Quetta Press Club against alleged harassment and blackmailing of students by few members of the university administration.

Countrywide protests

The student protest organized under the banner of Students Educational Alliance, the leaders leading the protest accused the UoB Vice-Chancellor responsible for the entire scandal, claiming that the VC was “head of the blackmailers and saviour of the culprits”. The protest entered the fourth day on Thursday. The students also marched throughout the university to mount the pressure on the administration to take action against the culprits.

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The protests were held not only in Balochistan University but in several other universities across Pakistan including Punjab University to express solidarity with the victims of sexual harassment.

A day earlier, the UoB’s Academic Staff Association had distanced itself from the scandal and pointed the finger at the university administration, including the VC.

Read more: Misuse of Me Too: A College Lecturer Commits Suicide Upon False Allegations

The scandal surfaced a month ago after Balochistan High Court had ordered Federal Investigative Agency to probe the reports of sexual harassment of students at the university.

 

The FIA in the investigation revealed that several students including both male and female were being blackmailed by some staff members through ‘objectionable’ videos of them, recorded through CCTV cameras hidden at various places on the campus including its washrooms.

The videos were recorded using at least six hidden cameras that were secretly installed at various spots in the university’s Quetta campus, in addition to the already existing official CCTV cameras.

Read more: Win for female politicians, Daycare center in Balochistan Assembly

FIA has reported having recovered 12 videos, with females making up most of the victims.

Official sources claimed that the videos were personal and involved the mingling of female and male students. These videos from the cameras installed in the washrooms and smoking areas were used to harass students. The FIA has so far interrogated nearly 200 officials of Balochistan University.

The investigation into the scandal is expected to delay further following the failure of the meeting to elect the chairman to head a 10-member body of Balochistan’s Assembly Parliamentary Committee, formulated to probe the scandal.

Public Reaction

The startling revelations stirred reactions from various public office holders and institutions. Governor Balochistan Amanullah Khan Yasinzai, who is also chancellor of all provincial universities, assured to take strict action against criminals involved in harassing students.

“Whosoever found involved in demoralizing educational structure in Balochistan will be brought to justice because the UoB’s scandal has triggered anger in society,” the governor said.

Read more: Woman Apologized to Ali Zafar for Fake Harassment Allegations

He, however, pleaded teachers and students to exercise restraint, provincial government and university administration will take legal action.

“The hooligans who harassed and blackmailed students would be dealt with strictly and punished for maligning the mother educational institution of Balochistan,” said Yasinzai.

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Higher Education Commission of Pakistan has also vowed to solve the crisis. The video scandal has been included in the list of agenda of the meeting of vice-chancellors to be convened on October 21st.

The regional Ombusperson Sabir Khatoon also assured the due legal action against the culprits, but also action would be taken against institutions failing to implement Anti-Harassment Act -2016.

The sexual harassment and blackmailing scandal have caused an uproar on social media as several social media users called out the university administration for failing to protect the dignity of the students. Some have raised concerns, calling it synonymous with attacking the cause of education in Balochistan- a province that is already struggling to beef up its social and economic development.

 

Others have asserted that the scandal has brought disgrace to Pakistan and educational institutes.