MULTAN: The Bahauddin Zakariya University has dismissed a professor from service for harassing a female student through inappropriate behaviour and making her objectionable videos to blackmail her.

The university syndicate in its meeting on Jan 19, 2019, on the recommendations of the harassment committee constituted an inquiry committee, consisting of Prof Dr Muhammad Shafqat (convener), Prof Dr Masood Akhtar and Prof Dr Ghazala Yasmin, to initiate proceedings into a complaint of harassment against Dr Wasif Nauman, assistant professor of the Department of Forestry and Range Management.

The proceedings were initiated under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act of 2016 on the charges of ‘guilty of misconduct on account of harassment to a female student of the same department through inappropriate behaviour and making video calls having obnoxious contests by the accused’.

According to the termination order, the inquiry committee conducted several meetings where the professor in question was given opportunity of personal hearing besides addressing his contentions as well.

The committee submitted its report to the syndicate on May 18 last, which served a final show cause-cum-personal hearing notice to the professor telling him to submit his additional defence in writing and also to appear before the syndicate on Dec 12, 2019.

The syndicate accepted the findings and recommendations of the committee and dismissed him from service with effective from Jan 19 last.

On Dec 12, 2018, Nauman was allegedly kidnapped by unidentified people outside the university gate.

The police obtained video of the incident that showed Mr Nauman’s car was intercepted by some suspects who proceeded to bundle him into another car.

Police with the help of the university administration identified the suspects who were reportedly members of a students’ organisation.

The police rescued the teacher and arrested the suspects who informed the police the teacher had made obnoxious videos of the student which he made while blackmailing her.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2020