PU teachers demand FIA to withdraw case

Say FIA should register case against Khujista Rehan for abusing faculty members

LAHORE: A group of teachers from Punjab University decried the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Wing demanding that the agency withdraw the case against them. They also asked the vice-chancellor to hold an inquiry into the matter.

The faculty members presented their demands during a press conference at the Lahore Press Club on Thursday. PU Law College Principal Dr Shazia Qureshi, former principle Dr Dil Mohammad Malik and Dr Mahboob Hussain along with other faculty members addressed the press conference.

They said that the FIA had registered a case on the complaint of University Law College Lecturer Khujista Rehan against Assistant Professor Dr Sania Zahra Malik, Assistant Professor Imran Alam, Assistant Professor Muhammad Shafique, Assistant Professor Imran Javed and Dr Abid Hussain for abusing her on a Whatsapp group on January 31.



While speaking to journalists, Dr Qureshi said that the FIA Cyber Crime Wing, on the complaint of Khujista Rehan, registered a case against them without properly investigating the matter.

She added the FIA had ignored their complaint against Rehan and alleged that FIA Cyber Crime Wing head Mohammad Shoaib unduly favoured Khujista Rehan. Dr Qureshi demanded that the FIA hold a thorough inquiry into the matter.

She also demanded that a case should be registered on their complaint.

Dr Qureshi asked the varsity administration to take action against the lecturer and constitute an inquiry team to investigate the case. She said that Rehan had been terminated earlier from her position as a hostel warden. However, she got a stay order from the court.

She alleged that Khujista Rehan had abused her and other faculty members on PU Hostel Management official Whatsapp group and when other teachers protested she also abused them. She alleged that Rehan, with the help of FIA Cyber Crime Wing officials, registered a case against five teachers of the university.

Dr Qureshi claimed that the FIA had violated court orders that had directed them to hold inquiries on both complaints. She alleged that the FIA officials moved the inquiry to Islamabad and without calling the suspects, registered a case on Rehan’s complaint.

The teachers demanded that Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr Zakria Zakar constitute a committee and reinvestigate the matter as well as withdraw the FIR registered against them. They also demanded that the FIA register a case against Khujista Rehan for abusing senior faculty members, including Dr Qureshi, Dr Dil Mohammad and Dr Sania.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2018.