Police have arrested Abdul Haseeb, a professor at Malakand University, on charges of harassing a student. The arrest followed a complaint registered by a female student from the Urdu department, who accused the professor of misconduct.
During the investigation, authorities discovered obscene photos of several female students on the professor’s mobile phone. The complaint detailed that Professor Haseeb demanded videos from students in exchange for higher exam marks.
The case, registered on February 4, has prompted action from the University of Malakand. Reports suggest that the university administration might have initially attempted to cover up the incident. However, following the emergence of allegations, the university has suspended Professor Haseeb. The harassment committee at the university is currently reviewing further complaints against him, and the administration has committed to taking additional action if the charges are substantiated.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of harassment allegations within educational institutions. For instance, at Ghazi University in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, a female student recently accused two professors of sexual harassment. This case came to light after the student’s video statement went viral on social media, in which she claimed that Dr. Zafar Wazir raped her after administering an intoxicant.
Following her public statement, police registered a case under section 376 at Gadai police station against two professors and a teacher. The FIR alleges that Dr. Zafar Wazeer committed the rape, abetted by a colleague, while another professor, Khalid Khattak, reportedly threatened the student to engage in illicit relations with him.
The university and local law enforcement are taking these allegations seriously, reflecting a growing recognition of the need to address and prevent sexual harassment in educational settings.
