No male staff in female institution, says CJ

LAHORE:

Following a series of alleged incidents of harassment in girls’ educational institutions, Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Aalia Neelum issued a stern warning, stating that “no male staff will be tolerated where women are present.”

The CJ expressed deep dissatisfaction over the handling of the cases by the Punjab Police and its inability to prevent the spread of a viral video related to one of the incidents.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Neelum criticized the inefficiency of the police, noting: “Anything can be done if there is the will to do so.”

Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr Usman Anwar, acknowledged the police’s failure to adequately handle a recent suicide case at the Punjab University and admitted that no report under Section 174 of the CrPC had been filed.

The court also rejected the report of Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), noting that it was prepared only after the registrar was informed.

Chief Justice Neelum directed the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe all social media accounts related to incidents at Punjab Group of Colleges, LCWU and the Punjab University suicide case.

She also emphasized that all student statements should be recorded in the presence of their parents, principal and registrar so that there is no coercion.

She invited anyone with direct information about the three cases to come forward and offered them the opportunity to speak to the authorities or the FIA.

In light of multiple petitions demanding a high-level probe into incidents of harassment in Lahore’s educational institutions, Chief Justice Neelum formed a larger bench to address these concerns. The bank will also investigate those involved in sharing a fake video allegedly targeting provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari.

During the proceedings, Chief Justice Neelum reprimanded IGP Anwar for arriving late in the courtroom, asking why he was not present when the case was presented. The IGP explained that he arrived early but met a girl’s parents outside.

The Chief Justice expressed frustration over the viral spread of a girl’s video, stating that it could have been stopped within 30 minutes.

IGP Anwar admitted that police did not have the authority to stop the video and claimed that they had contacted the PTA, which monitors the online content.

The court also discussed a separate case involving an alleged rape at a university, in which Advocate General Punjab Khalid Ishaq stated that despite rumours, no evidence had been found to substantiate the claim. He acknowledged shortcomings in the government’s response, noting that they had not expected such a large public response.

In the case of the suicide of the Punjab University student, the IGP admitted that lapses had been made in the legal process and stated that the cause of death had still not been determined.

The court also ordered LCWU to file a supplementary investigation report regarding a harassment complaint filed by a student. The person in question had already been suspended as part of the investigation.