UoP administration asked to address student’s issues

F.P Report

PESHAWAR: Members of civil society on Monday urged provincial government to constitute a high powered fact and finding committee to probe into the alleged sexual harassment of female students at the hands of University of Peshawar teaching staff.

They also endorsed the demands of protesting students and extended their full patronage. The university administration should address all demands put forward by students in its syndicate meeting, said members of civil society while speaking at a news conference at Peshawar press club.

Representatives of Aurat Foundation, South Asia Partner, Pakhtunkhwa Olasi Tehreek, Takra Qabaili Khwenday, and Khweday Kor were present on the occasion. Shabeena Ayaz chairperson Aurat Foundation in her address said that higher education must be affordable and accessible to the lower strata of society, so that, they could also get equal opportunity of moving ahead.

She said that the recent unjustified hike in fees that triggered mass student protestation is a specimen of Peshawar university administration failure to provide less expensive education to the students belonging to poor and middle class.

Flanked by chairman Pakhtunkhwa Olasi Tehreek Sayed Alam Mehsud, chairperson South Asia Partner Nusrat Ara and other representatives she added that besides fees hike, the Peshawar university administration has employed various tactics to tease the students such as introducing drop-out system, initiating disciplinary committee on minor issue and on thesis related issues.

On the occasion, Pakhtunkhwa Olasi Tehreek chairman Dr. Sayed Alam Mehsud said nobody is present to look after the affairs of universities; gross mismanagement, financial irregularities, and low moral standard in teaching cadre have become norm of the day.

Meanwhile the CSOs representatives have also demanded of the provincial government to constitute a high-powered neutral fact finding committee comprising of MPAs and civil society within three days to probe all the financial, administrative, procedural and ethical aspects which led to the current crisis.

Similarly, as par recommendation of the joint investigation team JIT on Mashal Khan case, due action should be taken against police and university staff as they were found culprit in the JIT report, they urged.

The representatives of various non-profit organizations have announced that if the provincial government did not constituted a committee within three days they will own form a fact finding committee which will probe the growing incidence of sexual harassment of female students by the university teaching staff and will submit it to the provincial government.