Former Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) faculty member, Ahmad Rafay Alam took to Twitter to apologise to a sexual harassment victim for supporting former colleague Abid Hussain Imam who was found guilty of harassing the student in 2014.
Imam, who was a faculty member at LUMS Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law, was found guilty of sexual harassment by the Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace and despite his removal, Ahmad Rafay Alam and a few other faculty members came out in support of their colleague.
Ahmad Rafay Alam publically apologised to the victim of sexual harassment four years after the incident took place when he was called out by another Twitter user for sharing an article pertaining to the experience of harassment victims.
Twitter user, shmyla, wrote,” My dear friend was ridiculed and silenced by a professor at LUMS as you very well know for speaking out. They never apologised for their behaviour, but I hope that you become the first one to do so publicly. I don’t expect much from the rest”.
My dear friend was ridiculed and silenced by a professors at LUMS as you very well know for speaking out. They never apologised for their behaviour, but I hope that you become the first one to do so publicly. I don’t expect much from the rest.
— shmyla (@shmyla) April 29, 2018
Alam responded to the tweet by stating, “I owe your friend an apology”.
I owe your friend an apology.
— Ahmad Rafay Alam (@rafay_alam) April 30, 2018
He also followed the apology with a realisation of his mistake and stated,” Gosh to be able to turn back time and do things differently. But we don’t get that luxury. We did something stupid and I for one can see just how badly it must have hurt your friend. I’m truly sorry”.
Gosh to be able to turn back time and do things differently. But we don’t get that luxury. We did something stupid and I for one can see just how badly it must have hurt your friend. I’m truly sorry.
— Ahmad Rafay Alam (@rafay_alam) April 30, 2018
Ahmad Rafay Alam then proceeded to accept that the toughest thing to do is to put aside one’s “male ego” and stated,”Really the toughest thing about this is letting go of the “male ego” for a bit. Guys: if you’re don’t think yours can survive an apology, there’s something seriously wrong elsewhere”.
Really the toughest thing about this is letting go of the “male ego” for a bit.
Guys: if you’re don’t think yours can survive an apology, there’s something seriously wrong elsewhere.— Ahmad Rafay Alam (@rafay_alam) April 30, 2018
