The FIA intercepted Dr. Athar Mahboob’s attempt to flee the country from Karachi Airport.
ISLAMABAD : A formal request has been submitted to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for the inclusion of the former Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Islamia University Bahawalpur and the director of security in the Exit Control List (ECL).
Sources within the FIA have revealed that they have forwarded recommendations to the Ministry of Home Affairs to act and impose travel restrictions on Dr. Athar Mahboob, the former VC of the university, and the security director.
It is worth mentioning that the FIA intercepted Dr. Athar Mahboob’s attempted departure to the United States from Karachi Airport.
Petition Filed to Prevent Sharing of Alleged Videos
Advocate Zulfiqar Bhatta filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the Islamia University Bahawalpur video scandal.
The petition sought to prevent the alleged videos from being made public and requested that investigation officers should not be transferred without court permission.
It also urged the halting of the judicial commission’s work until police investigation completion. The plea demanded a 15-day deadline for the police and FIA to complete their investigation and insisted on not sharing incident details with political figures without court approval.
Furthermore, the petitioner expressed concerns about students’ safety due to potential blackmail from the public sharing of alleged videos. Political persons Interfered thus, hindering a transparent investigation. The parties involved included the federation, Punjab government, and FIA.
Objections to plea for judicial commission upheld
The Lahore High Court heard a petition filed by citizen Mashkoor Hussain, seeking the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the obscene videos scandal at the Islamia University Bahawalpur. The court rejected the objection appeal made by the registrar’s office, declaring it inadmissible.
Justice Anwar Hussain presided over the hearing, and parties involved in the case include the FIA, Punjab police chief, and caretaker Punjab chief minister.
The petition highlights the sensitivity of the issue. It calls for a court-ordered judicial commission or tribunal to inquire into the matter. It also considers the involvement of the university’s chief security officer, arrested in connection with the scandal.
HEC Fact-Finding Committee
In response to the alleged harassment at Islamia University Bahawalpur, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) formed a five-member fact-finding committee led by Professor Dr. Muhammad Ali. The committee includes Lieutenant General (R) Moazzam Ijaz, Professor Dr. Najma Najam, Professor Dr. Tahira Aziz Mughal, and HEC Advisor Dr. M. Mazhar Saeed.
The committee’s mandate is to conduct a comprehensive and unbiased investigation into the allegations of harassment against students and faculty members. They will gather information from various sources, including media. They must submit their report within three weeks.
Based on their findings, the authorities will take appropriate corrective and disciplinary actions against those found responsible for the harassment. The committee will also propose recommendations to prevent such incidents of sexual harassment in universities in the future.
