Pakistan: Incident of sexual harassment on Islamia University Bahawalnagar campus leads to arrest of a lecturer

This incident is not isolated to the Bahawalnagar Campus as university sources have revealed that Ahmed has been involved in other allegations of sexual harassment against female students.

PUNJAB: A sexual harassment incident occurred Islamia University Bahawalnagar Campus, where a courageous student exposed attempts by the administration to cover up the issue, resulting in the arrest of a teacher.
The student filed a complaint against Nadeem Ahmed, a teacher at the Department of Physical Education, accusing him of sending inappropriate videos and constantly intimidating her, the Express Tribune reported.
The news channel cited a First Information Report (FIR) filed with Bahawalnagar’s City B Division police station, which stated that Ahmed would call the student to his office, where he allegedly held her hand and made unwanted advances. He further threatened her with bad grades and possible expulsion if she did not comply with his demands.
Initially, the student approached the university Cell against intimidationbut the FIR indicates that the government tried to suppress the incident and failed to take timely or effective action. Only after she escalated the matter to the police was a formal investigation launched, leading to Ahmed’s arrest.
Following the registration of the FIR, the administration of Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), which oversees the Bahawalnagar Campus, released a statement on the situation. Vice Chancellor Professor Muhammad Kamran has suspended Nadeem Ahmed and initiated an investigation into the allegations, the Express Tribune reported.
The statement emphasized that there is an Anti-Harassment Committee, which adheres to the policies of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and assured the public that the investigation would be conducted transparently. The university promised to take swift action if Ahmed is found guilty. An investigation report is expected within thirty days.
This incident is not isolated to the Bahawalnagar Campus as university sources have revealed that Ahmed has been involved in other allegations of sexual harassment against female students.
A student from the same department, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed that she too had suffered harassment from Ahmed for several months. Despite her parents providing evidence to the campus principal in March 2024, no action was taken against him.
The student said the university’s Anti-Harassment Cell had previously found Ahmed guilty, resulting in a three-month suspension without pay. However, the government’s inability to deal with the matter effectively allowed him to return to his duties.
The university recently faced a significant scandal involving drug trafficking and harassment of female students, which led to the arrest of several influential university employees, the Express Tribune reported. (ANI)