Senate panel voices alarm over harassment cases at universities

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution on Wednesday voiced serious concern over an increase in sexual harassment cases at higher education institutions across the country, while calling for stronger safeguards to prevent such incidents.

During the meeting, some members referred to the case of Fahmida Laghari, a medical student who allegedly died by suicide after facing repeated harassment by a teacher. They urged effective steps to stop such cases from occurring.

Committee chairman Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro said Fahmida Laghari, a student of Muhammad Medical College in Mirpurkhas, had not reported the alleged harassment and was pushed to an extreme step. He questioned how cases of harassment that go unreported could be tackled and stressed the need for more effective mechanisms.

The committee also took up harassment cases linked to Islamabad’s COMSATS University. Members expressed displeasure over the absence of the chairman of the Higher Education Commission. The committee issued a summons and warned that warrants could be issued if he does not attend the next meeting.

Cases reported nationwide

Officials informed the committee that 472 harassment cases had been reported in universities across Pakistan. Of these, 455 have been resolved. They said 53 faculty members and 19 students were expelled in cases related to harassment.

At COMSATS University, officials told the committee that 20 cases were reported between 2023 and 2025. They said 14 of the complaints were filed by women. According to the briefing, the cases included both workplace harassment and sexual harassment matters.

Officials said the inquiries led to different outcomes. Two cases resulted in fines, one person was expelled, and five individuals were issued warnings. Four cases ended with apologies, one complaint was withdrawn, while suspects in four cases were cleared because of insufficient evidence.

Officials outline complaint mechanism

During the meeting, officials maintained that harassment complaints are dealt with confidentially and that a zero-tolerance policy is in place. They told the committee that action is taken immediately once a complaint is lodged.

They also said mechanisms are available to enable students to report harassment in a safe manner. The discussion nevertheless focused on the challenge posed by incidents that are never formally reported, with committee members pressing for stronger systems to identify and address such cases before they escalate. Officials maintained that harassment complaints are handled confidentially and that zero tolerance is enforced.

The committee’s discussion underscored concerns over campus safety and accountability in higher education institutions, particularly in light of the figures presented and the concerns raised by lawmakers over the effectiveness of existing reporting and response mechanisms.