Panel of MPAs to review UoB scandal next week

Committee will submit report to PA after interviewing students who were harassed, blackmailed

QUETTA: The panel of MPAs will meet on November 26 to review the University of Balochistan (UoB) scandal. The special committee of the provincial assembly, constituted to investigate the UoB incident and chaired by Mahjabeen Sheeran will resume its proceedings on Tuesday at 2.00 pm.

According to details, further discussion on the issue pertaining to blackmail and harassment of students will be held in the committee room of the Balochistan Assembly.

The panel was constituted by the Balochistan Assembly speaker for fact findings after the allegations created uproar across the province.

Earlier, chairperson Sheeran said the scandal had dented the educational environment of the province and all aspects of the case would be thoroughly reviewed.

FIA seeks two weeks’ time to finalise UoB report

The committee will submit its report to the Balochistan Assembly after interviewing university staff and the students sexually harassed and blackmailed by the varsity administration.

Other members of the parliamentary panel include Meer Asad Baloch, Meer Saleem Khosa, Denish Kumar, Sana Baloch, Naseullah Zeeray and Shakeela Naved.

The scandal had come to light when the Balochistan High Court (BHC) directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate reports of students being harassed on the campus.

The FIA later discovered that male and female students were being blackmailed by some staff members using ‘objectionable’ videos of them recorded through CCTV cameras hidden at various places on the campus including its washrooms.

Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail earlier said the varsity video scandal will be the biggest setback if it comes out to be true as a two member divisional bench, comprising Justice Mandokhail and Justice Abdullah Baloch, heard the video scandal case.

Senate panel orders UoB to remove unnecessary CCTVs

Advocate General Balochistan, UoB’s registrar, complainants and their lawyers were present during the hearing.

Deputy Director Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cybercrimes Arsalan requested the court for two weeks’ time to finalise the investigative report.

In a reply to Justice Mandokhail’s question, UoB registrar said they had removed hidden cameras that were spotted.

The court inquired from the registrar as to why was the departmental inquiry not conducted against those involved in the sexual harassment scandal to which the registrar replied they were waiting for the final report of the FIA.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2019.