Student observes hunger strike accused bail in SBBU harassment case

Political workers join in, accuse PPP leadership of protecting VC, lecturer

HYDERABAD: The Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University (SBBU), Benazirabad, student who accused her faculty of sexual harassment last month started a hunger strike along with her supporters on Saturday. Farzana Jamali, a final year student of SBBU's English department, pitched up the protest camp outside the Nawabshah Press Club, with the local leaders and workers of several parties expressing solidarity with her.

"My family and I are running from pillar to post to get justice but powerful people are protecting the accused while at the same time they are putting pressure on us to withdraw [the case]," she claimed while talking to the media. She said her father and brother were both booked in separate criminal FIRs so that her family would be compelled to not pursue the case.

Jamali, last month, accused her teacher Aamir Saeed Khattak, the acting chairperson of English department, and SBBU Vice Chancellor Arshad Saleem Arain of harassment. The Sindh High Court (SHC) took notice of the matter and an FIR was lodged against the two teachers besides separate inquiries initiated by the provincial government and the SBBU. The cases in the SHC Hyderabad Circuit Bench and Ombudsman are pending hearing.

Political workers Nisar Keerio, Ali Raza Khaskheli, Farooq Chandio and others who joined her at the camp accused Pakistan Peoples Party's leadership of protecting Khattak and Arain. They alleged that Arain has embezzled millions of rupees in SBBU and demanded that the National Accountability Bureau conduct an investigation of corruption in the university.

Meanwhile, fourth additional sessions judge Suhrab Brohi confirmed the interim bails of Arain and Khattak in Nawabshah on Saturday.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7^th, 2018.