SARGODHA: The Syndicate of University of Sargodha (UoS) on Tuesday sacked an assistant professor after he was found guilty of sexual harassment of a student.

Dr Sajid Iqbal, assistant professor of Mathematics at the university’s Bhakkar sub-campus, was accused of harassing a girl student of BS Mathematics.

He was prosecuted under Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act.

The Syndicate made its decision after going through the findings and recommendations of the committees formed by the university to look into the case.

After the complaint of the girl student, the director of Bhakkar sub-campus had constituted the committee which, after initial probe, referred the case to another committee constituted by the university for harassment cases for a thorough inquiry under the abovementioned law.

Mr Sajid was called repeatedly and communicated the proofs against him provided by the complainant but he failed to prove his innocence.

After investigating the case and examining the validity of the SMS of both the parties, the statement of the complainant, video on social media and forensic analysis of mobile phone data, the committee found that the professor had maliciously approached the girl student and was guilty of sexual harassment.

Mr Sajid can file an appeal against the decision before the ombudsman established under the Section 7 of the Act within 30 days from the date of communication of the order.

ACE: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) arrested Muhammad Shafique head clerk forest department while receiving ten thousand rupees as bribe and got registered a case against him with ACE Bhakkar.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2019