ISLAMABAD: A committee constituted to investigate the rape case of a youth in International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) has recommended that all universities should have a dedicated helpline where victims could report bullying, abuse, sexual assault, etc.

The inquiry report compiled by Additional Secretary Ministry of Education Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani also recommended setting up of committees in universities to dig out such incidents and then take appropriate action.

The committee consisted of SSP Dr Syed Mustafa Tanweer, Director FIA Waqar Ahmed Chohan and SP Special Branch Zubair Ahmed Sheikh. It also recommended that all public sector universities should ensure holding a week of in-house awareness sessions for students on gender-sensitivity, anti-,drug, anti-bullying, anti-abuse, cyber ethics and effective reporting.

Inquiry committee recommends action against security guards for negligence in IIUI rape case

It also recommended that the inspector general of police Islamabad should issue instructions to all SHOs to encourage reporting of such crimes (harassment, rape, etc.) with swift prosecution.

The committee also recommended that all medical authorities should be directed to ensure medical examination of victims of such offence without their consent to ensure justice.

Every public sector university should have counseling cells consisting of a medical professional to provide counseling to traumatised students and to prevent the occurrence of such incidents.

Citing a Special Branch report about the rape case in IIUI hostel in June this year, the inquiry revealed that the university had constituted an inquiry committee to probe the rape incident. However, the committee covered up facts of the case.

All the deputed staff of IIUI on the day should have been proceeded against on disciplinary grounds, for criminal negligence and lack of duty.

It said that the IIUI rector should be directed to overhaul the whole administrative management system and the staff deployed should be adequately trained and sensitized in carrying out their duty under high benchmarks of professionalism.

While fixing responsibility, the committee pointed out: “Responsibility is squarely on the shoulders of the security head and staff at the entry and exit gated. They ought to be immediately proceeded against by the university administration.

“The security head, supervisor and staff along with the Director Administration of IIUI shall also be immediately replaced and disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against them for their negligence.”

The report said that doctors and paramedic staff may also be censured for showing negligence and lethargy during medical examination of the complainant on time.

The report also recommended that FIA should conduct forensic inspection of viral video of the victim youth and responsibility could be fixed on the person who uploaded the video.

The committee tasked Higher Education Commission (HEC) with the implementation of its recommendation.

In June, a youth (an outsider) was raped in a hostel of IIUI by two students of the university as hostel administration had failed to stop entry of outsiders.

The inquiry report of the high-profile committee was presented before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education, which met on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Mian Najeebuddin Awaisi.

Committee members including Ali Nawaz Awan, Sadaqat Abbasi and Andleeb Abbas recommended that action should also be taken against the IIUI rector, who is administrative head of the university.

Earlier, the committee members also showed their concerns over the refusal of admission in several schools and colleges in Islamabad saying that schools principals could not refuse admissions to students. The additional secretary assured the committee that he would look into this matter.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2021