HEC team to probe varsity sextortion case

Tells NA panel it will conduct internal audit of IUB

ISLAMABAD:

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has decided to form a committee comprising three vice chancellors to address the issue of sexual harassment of sexual students at the Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), which would be notified soon.

This was stated by HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed while briefing the National Assembly’s standing committee on education that met in the Parliament House under the chairmanship Sami Al Hasan Gilani.

“The committee will remain there till the issue is resolved. We're going to conduct an IUB audit and compile an operational performance report,” the HEC chairman said without disclosing the names of people that could be on the committee.

He also updated the NA panel on developments in the case in which the university’s chief security officer Major (retired) Ijaz Akram still remains in custody. Two other officials – Professor Abu Bakar and transport in-charge Muhammad Altaf – were also arrested.

Akram’s arrest on July 21 was followed by viral snapshots of the first information report (FIR) that two phones recovered from him had thousands of obscene videos and images, believed to be of students. Police said drugs were also recovered drugs from his possession. It was later revealed that another official, the treasurer, had been caught a month earlier with a female companion, said to be a university student, along with virility supplements and banned substances.

Meanwhile, three committees were working on the investigation. It included a committee constituted by IUB Vice Chancellor Mehboob Akhtar, the NA panel was informed. The university administration would abide by the recommendations made by the inquiry committees.

Moreover, the local police were investigating the case with Akram currently on judicial remand.

The panel chairman noted that as the incident involved compromising images of students, it was necessary to refer the matter to the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency.

Hamid Habib, a committee member, said that nothing had been done except the arrest of the chief security officer. He asked about the details of the internal inquiry and asked whether the children of any influential individuals were involved in the controversy. The IUB representatives stated that it would be premature to say anything on this at the current stage.

Habib urged the IUB authorities not to scapegoat anyone in order to protect others. It is imperative to name and shame everyone involved, he added.

Committee member Farrukh Khan said that cameras were installed at the university, which suggested that this was planned and happening for a while. He asked the IUB officials of their view on the matter.

The IUB registrar, while pointing out he had been at the university since 2020, said that he believed the entire situation was more propaganda than reality.

Committee members Dr Shazia Subia Aslam Soomro, Zahra Wadud Fatemi, and others attended the meeting, including some of the participants through video link.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2023.