PESHAWAR – Three students involved in the harassment and misconduct case against a female lecturer at Islamia College Peshawar have been suspended for two weeks.
According to a notification issued by the administration, the preliminary report of the disciplinary committee found three students involved in the incident. The students have been barred from entering the university until the committee announces its final decision.
The Teaching Staff Association stated that its strike has been postponed until the disciplinary committee issues a final verdict, while all academic activities will continue as normal until June 8.
According to the background of the incident, a female lecturer, Gul Rukh, accused several students of harassment and misconduct during a class test and submitted a formal complaint to the vice chancellor of Islamia College.
In her letter, the lecturer requested disciplinary action against the students involved and stated that they threatened her with political influence after she refused to award passing grades.
She alleged that during a second-semester Botany class test on May 12, several male students stood up and refused to take the test while intimidating other students as well.
The lecturer further claimed that the students tore up the test papers and threw them at her face before leaving the classroom and locking her and other female students inside the room.
She said she continued the test with the remaining students, but the same students later returned with more individuals, surrounded her inside the classroom, and continued issuing threats.
According to the letter, when she later stepped outside the classroom, the students locked the department gate and pressured her to award passing marks while again threatening her with their political connections.
Following the alleged harassment incident, the Teaching Staff Association had demanded immediate action against the students involved and warned of a boycott of academic activities if their demands were not met.
