Mazari takes notice of harassment at educational institutions

ISLAMABAD: Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari has taken notice of the cases of harassment at educational institutes that have been reported over social media in the past week.

Shireen Mazari said, “Have taken note of serious harassment allegations of young girls and women at educational institutions – most recently at two premier private institutions in Lahore. MOHR helpline 1099 is available for complaints & for help. Our regional offices have been alerted on this issue.”

Have taken note of serious harassment allegations of young girls and women at educational institutions – most recently at two premier private institutions in Lahore. MOHR helpline 1099 is available for complaints & for help. Our regional offices have been alerted on this issue.

— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) June 29, 2020

Several educational institutions including Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore Grammar School (LGS), NUST and FAST have been in the spotlight over allegations of harassment.

READ MORE: Rape as a weapon of war used by India in IOK: Mazari

Earlier, an elite private school Lahore Grammar School (LGS) branch 1A1 had suspended four teachers following allegations of sexual harassment by multiple female students who complained that the accused had been harassing them for years.

Many students narrated stories that sparked outrage on social media pressuring the administration to hold an inquiry into the matter after which the accused were terminated.

So @omairana’s wife Maira Omair Rana has been slut-shaming girls and silencing them since years over being harassed by the male faculty of LGS 1A1. This woman continues to preach “morals” and “ethics” while being a deeply rooted cause of the problem along with Rubina Shakeel 1/2

— Minzi⁷ (@girltipzyy) June 28, 2020

Some students accused Maira Omair Rana, who works at the admin office of LGS, of covering up and ‘victim-blaming’. A student revealed that whenever girls complained to her, she used to blame them for harassment even told them not to come with complaints.

The incident was condemned on social media and the school administration has been blamed for irresponsible behaviour and protecting the harassers.