CM takes notice of school harassment case

LAHORE: A day after a Lahore private school fired four employees, including a teacher, accused of sexually harassing multiple female students, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took notice of the incident on Wednesday.

The chief minister directed CCPO Lahore to carry out an impartial inquiry into the incident, adding that harassment of students will not be tolerated at any cost.

“Action against the accused should be taken in accordance with the law,” said Buzdar. He added that the affected students will be provided justice at any cost.

Four employees of a private school in Lahore, including a teacher, were sacked by the administration after they were accused of sexually harassing female students.

Numerous students said that they were being harassed since 2016 but had decided to report the incidents to the management after it became unbearable.

Meanwhile, the Lahore district education authority has constituted an inquiry committee to probe into the allegation of harassment against teachers of a private elite school by many of its students.

Ghyas Sabir, principal of the Government Islamia High School, has been appointed the convener of the committee with Model Town deputy district education officers Shahid Ali Shah and Ms Sadia

Naeem as its members. The committee has been asked to “dig out facts” and probe into the sexual harassment allegations levelled by multiple girls of the Lahore Grammar School (LGS) Ghalib Market branch against at least four male teachers, and submit its report along with recommendations in three days.

Punjab School Education Minister Dr Murad Raas tweeted: “I will deal with the case in Lahore Grammar School 1A1 myself. Have talked to the Principal this morning. Getting all the details…i will protect them (the children). This case will be brought to a proper conclusion according to law.”

According to the school administration, the four persons against whom the complaint was lodged include a chemistry teacher, an administrative officer, an accountant and a janitor.

Administration Officer Aitzaz, Accountant Omar, a chowkidar named Shehzad and chemistry teacher Zahid Warraich were accused of harassment by female students, some of whom had left school a few years ago and others who were still studying there.

Students said that they had lodged various sexual harassment complaints over the years against the accused but no action had been taken by the administration. Dismayed, the students said some of them were forced to leave the school and seek admission in others.