KARACHI: Expressing its resolve to treat cases of harassment against women as per state laws, the University of Karachi (KU) has announced to implement a zero-tolerance policy on the issue to curb such reprehensible acts on the campus through strict punitive measures against those found guilty.
During a seminar titled ‘Addressing the Increasing Harassment in Educational Institutions: Challenges and Solutions’ organised by the KU Center of Excellence for Women's Studies at the esteemed KU Chinese Teachers Memorial Auditorium, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi articulated the importance of upholding the rule of law to combat harassment in society. He encouraged the victims to not remain silent under any circumstance, so that culprits could be brought to book and face legal consequences.
Advocate Zia Awan from Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid stressed the necessity of establishing a dedicated helpline for students across all universities in the country. He also emphasised the significance of conducting comprehensive training workshops for students, faculty, and administration to equip them with the necessary tools to manage and report such distressing incidents effectively.
Mahnaz Rehman, the Resident Director of the Aurat Foundation, highlighted the need to bolster the effectiveness of Harassment Committees in universities to effectively address and eliminate harassment cases within higher education institutions.
Emphasising the gender-neutral aspect of this crime, prominent journalist Lubna Jarrar urged students to break their silence and raise their voices on various platforms, notably on social media, to shed light on incidents related to harassment. Jarrar stressed that failure to report such incidents could embolden perpetrators to continue their harmful behavior and potentially harm others.
Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan, Dr Rana Khan, elucidated the fundamental human rights laws enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan, particularly focusing on the existing laws pertaining to the protection of women.