Faisalabad university suspends teacher for sexually harassing female MPhil student

Government College University, Faisalabad (GCUF) on Monday suspended an assistant professor for three months after an inquiry committee found him guilty of allegedly sexually harassing a female student pursuing an MPhil in organic chemistry.

“Consequent upon the recommendation of the Sexual Harassment Committee, the vice chancellor […] has been pleased to place Dr Nasir Rasool […] under suspension, for a period of 90 days, with immediate effect,” said a notification issued by the GCUF registrar, dated April 17.

The probe against Dr Nasir Rasool, an assistant professor of the chemistry department, was initiated after the vice chancellor (VC) referred the matter to the varsity’s Sexual Harassment Committee after a complaint filed by S*, a research student, on March 27.

The VC had instructed the committee to probe the matter immediately and submit a report in this regard by April 07.

In her application, S stated that she had been assigned to do her research work with Dr Rasool, and the work required students to sometimes work in the laboratory alone with him.

Dr Rasool “has been constantly behaving obnoxiously, flirtatiously and unethically with me,” the student complained, adding that this was against her “dignity and honour”.

S said the professor had been constantly making unethical phone calls, sending indecent text messages and threats of “dire consequences to discourage me from complaining against him”.

“I can’t bear it anymore […] his vulgar communication is unbearable for me.”

The student urged the VC to take strict action against the concerned teacher and “protect my dignity and honour like you would for your own daughter”.

She had also attached printed screengrabs of text messages sent by Dr Rasool as proof of his misconduct.

The professor allegedly sent S texts of sexual nature including “I like u”, “kiss u”, despite the girl’s responses asking him to stop messaging her.

The university’s registrar said in the suspension notice that a case for the initiation of inquiry against Dr Rasool under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act 2006 will be placed before the forthcoming meeting of the university syndicate.

Source: Dawn