IoBM shut for second day; administration reinstates expelled student

On-campus classes to resume tomorrow, says university spokesperson

KARACHI:

The Institute of Business Management remained shut for the second consecutive day on Tuesday after the students organisation continued its protests against the expulsion of a female student by the administration who had claimed that she was harassed by the university staff. The protest began on Monday leading to the suspension of physical classes, however, online classes were held,

A wave of students' backlash and a campaign against the administration’s decision, gained traction on social media, ultimately compelling IoBM to reverse its decision and reinstate the student. Confirmation regarding the revised decision of the administration was given to Express by the university’s spokesperson, who also mentioned that the 'IoBM will reopen for regular classes from Wednesday'.

It may be mentioned that the IoBM administration changed its controversial decision regarding the student’s expulsion three times within just a few days. Initially, the student was expelled for allegedly 'misbehaving' with the administration. Shortly after, IoBM withdrew the expulsion order and, instead, suspended the student for one semester. However, as public backlash continued, on Monday, a third and final decision was announced, reversing the previous two and granting the student permission to immediately resume attending her classes.

Read: IOBM expels, reinstates student after undergrads protest university's mishandling of harassment allegations

The issue began when the student alleged that she faced inappropriate behaviour from an individual, associated with the transport department. The student lodged a complaint with the university’s Human Resources Department regarding the incident and in the meantime, her family also arrived and joined the protest. However, instead of taking action against the implicated employee, IoBM took disciplinary action against the student, canceling her admission.

The matter surfaced across social media, sparking outrage and prompting student calls for protests against the administration’s actions. In response, the university suspended on-campus classes to tackle the situation. Despite this, students still gathered outside the administration building. With mounting pressure, IoBM reinstated the student. Further, it stated that the services of the employee in question had been terminated. The university spokesperson mentioned that the employee in question was not a direct university staff member but worked under a third-party contract.

When Express asked which of its three decisions the university would justify, the spokesperson emphasised that 'IoBM has a comprehensive anti-harassment policy, and it is fully implemented'.