GILGIT: The administration of the Karakoram International University (KIU) has reacted swiftly to a claim by a female student that she was sexually harassed by an employee of the scholarship affairs office at city campus Gilgit.
According to the KIU public relations office, VC Dr Attaullah Shah took notice of the complaint of the female student and set up a three-member committee to probe the incident.
“First, we have to find out the correctness of the issue. The committee will inquire into it and submit a report in five days,” the VC said. “Such instances cannot be tolerated cannot be taken lightly,” he added.
On Friday students of the Karakoram International University (KIU) staged a protest demonstration against the alleged sexual harassment of a female student by an employee of the university.
About 400 students, including females, gathered outside the office of the vice-chancellor and chanted slogans against the administration. They demanded protection for female students from harassment.
The participants had announced that the protest would continue till justice was served to the victim student. “We will ask the VC that why he didn’t take notice of the incident despite the passage of many days,” they added.
A female student on condition of anonymity said many harassment incidents had occurred in the past involving employees of the scholarship affairs office. She said female students were asked for undue favors if they wanted to get a scholarship.
In an application submitted by the victim student to the vice-chancellor Dr Attaullah Shah, she wrote that she was writing the letter in a state of shock in order to let him know about the harassment she suffered at the hands of an employee namely Saeed of the varsity’s scholarship affairs office on the morning of Nov 17.
In the letter, she said that the employee teased and touched her. “I am in a state of shock and appeal to the vice-chancellor to give me justice,” she wrote in the letter. She demanded the termination of the employee.
She further stated: “It is the responsibility of the KIU administration to take action against the erring employees as I am being harassed within the premises of the campus.”
