MARDAN: The Woman University Mardan Vice-Chancellor Prof Safia Ahmad has constituted an inquiry committee to investigate a harassment incident that allegedly occurred on the varsity’s Bashkhali campus a few days ago.

Hazrat Bilal, the public relations officer of the vice-chancellor, said on Wednesday that the eight-member committee was constituted after students boycotted classes and held demonstrations against the varsity’s security in-charge for his alleged involvement in the harassment case.

He said the committee had been tasked with carrying out free and fair investigations into the case so that stern action could be taken against the official responsible.

He said the committee consisted of two focal persons, three inquiry members and three appellate members. “As per the instructions and rules of the Higher Education Commission, the focal persons shall take appropriate steps to provide interim measures that may be requested by the affected persons or as otherwise may be deemed appropriate,” Mr Bilal said.

“The inquiry members shall be responsible for the investigations and adjudication of any complaint received in connection with the violation of the HEC policy,” he added.

“The appellate members may consider the appeal and any other relevant material or modify the probe body’s decision within 30 days in respect of which such appeal is made, and shall communicate the decision to both the parties, the VC and the inquiry committee,” the official maintained.

Mr Bilal claimed the vice-chancellor had suspended the security in-charge to ensure fair and impartial inquiry.

“As per the university regulations the suspended official has been directed not to visit the university premises and must remain available for any inquiry proceedings as and when required,” he added.

Mr Bilal also claimed that parents of the affected student of the English department had neither filed a written complaint to the relevant university officials nor to the police station concerned against her alleged harassment.

He said when the varsity administration contacted the father of the student to register a complaint he refused by saying that no harassment incident had taken place.

Mr Bilal said that the student’s father told university officials that his daughter was suffering from anxiety as she had not slept properly for two days, and that was why she was not feeling well in the varsity.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2025