Balochistan University has been in the headlines for the past few days because of the alleged sexual harassment scandal.
The case came to surface a month ago when the Balochistan High Court (BHC) directed the FIA to investigate reports of students being harassed at the campus.
FIA Investigation in Balochistan University Scandal
FIA, after weeks of investigation discovered that students were blackmailed through “objectionable” videos of them.
These videos were recorded using at least six cameras that were secretly installed in the university’s Quetta campus, in addition to the official CCTV cameras.
The cameras were installed in some washrooms and smoking areas on campus, and the video clips from there were then used to sexually harass and blackmail students.
FIA traced 12 videos which were used to harass female students by some officials of the university’s administration.
What does Chief Minster Balochistan have to say?
Chief Minister Jam Kamal has pledged full cooperation with FIA and police officials in the investigation and directed the authorities to arrest the culprits involved.
Student protest
Various student organizations of Balochistan University staged demonstrations to protest against the sexual harassment of students by the staff.
The students marched to pressurize the authorities to take strict action.
“This is not acceptable; we cannot compromise on our dignity.”
Khalid Baloch, the central office-bearer of Baloch Students Organization
The students carried placards reading, “Punish the accused”, “No to harassment” and “We want justice.”
Read: Qandeel Baloch Can Finally Rest In Peace As Her Murderer Gets 25 Years In Prison
They also demanded that vice chancellor of the University be removed.
What is the role of Vice Chancellor Javed Iqbal in this scandal?
Balochistan University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Javed Iqbal said that example would be set for anyone found guilty.
But the university students are alleging that Javed Iqbal himself is involved in the scandal.
One Twitterati alleged he was involved in a sexual harassment scandal in the 90’s.
Vice President of Academic Staff Association of the Balochistan University Professor Fareed Achakzai also lashed out at Javed Iqbal, alleging he had been involved in a harassment scandal in 1992.
Further, Achazkzai alleged that Javed Iqbal tried to make light of a sexual harassment complaint recently filed by a student against an administration member at the local police station.