PU VC in hot water over harassment allegations

The Lahore High Court on Monday expressed concern over allegations of sexual harassment against the Punjab University (PU) Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Mujahid Kamran.

The accusation was made in September 2013 by a Punjab University teacher.

Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan observed that the status of a teacher was highly respectable but the allegations against Dr Mujahid were grave and could not be tolerated.

Khujista Rehan, a lecturer at the PU Law College, had accused the VC of sexually harassing her last year and had urged the Punjab government to step in and make sure the inquiry into her allegations was impartial.

Rehan had earlier said that the office of the Punjab Ombudsman for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace, with whom she lodged her complaint, was favouring the VC.

She said the ombudswoman was unqualified for the job and was relying on a friend of the VC for guidance. She also demanded that the VC be suspended whilst the inquiry was being conducted, so that he could not interfere with or influence it.

On Monday, the counsel for the petitioner argued that his client was being victimised by university authorities for raising a voice against the VC. He added that the authorities at the behest of Dr Mujahid initiated several baseless inquiries against the petitioner.

The counsel asked the court to suspend the VC till the inquiry is completed.

However, the university’s counsel defended the charges and said the petitioner was herself involved in threatening the sports director, also presented a record of telephonic conversations between Rehan and the sports director.