HED Recommends Action Against MAO College Principal Over Negligence

(@fidahassanain)

HED recommends action against MAO College Principal over negligence

Afzal Mehmood, an English lecturer, committed suicide after a female student alleged that he harassed her in the college.

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/ Pakistan Point News-19th Oct, 2019) The Punjab Higher education department on Saturday issued a summary and expressed serious concerns over the attitude of MAO College Principal Dr. Farhan Ebadat yar Khan regarding the matter of suicidal death of a lecturer, the repors say.

According to details, the Higher Education Department issued a summary and recommended action against Dr. Farhan Ebadat yar Khan, sayinig that "His attitude is very rude and lethargic,".

The MAO College Principal did not take any action since lecturer Afzal Mehmood committed suicide after a female student levelled an allegations againist him that he harassed her.

The department in its report said that Dr. Farhan was found very rude and he often used abusive language instead of taking care of the affairs of the college,". The department took notice and recommended that his removal should be made on these grounds.

It may be mentioined here that Afzal Mehmood, an English lecturer, lost his life by committing suicide when he came to know about allegation of harassment against him.

The reports said that a note was recovered from body of Afzal Mehmood wherein he had written that he presented his matter to Almighty Allah and please nobody should investigate it nor any perrson should be held accountable. According to police, the note which was recocvered from the body of the deceased was written by the lecturer himself and that he committed suicide to end up his life over allegations of harrasment. In the note, he also addressed the investigation body that his entire family was worried over false allegation of harrasment and said: "today his wife also called him man of bad character,". He further noted that there was nothinig for him in the life as now he was known as a bad character in both college and home. "I feel pained when it comes to my mind," the teacher wrote before committiing suicide.

Talkinig to a news organization, Dr Aalia Rehman, the head of committee constituted to deal with harrasment issues, said that their investigation found that the teacher was innocent and the allegations of harassment against him were false. "Just a female student of Mass Communication moved an application that Sir Afzal stare the girls including the complainant and that's all," said the invesstigation committee head. She said that she went to asked the girl who levelled allegations againnst Afzal Mehmood and she deneid that she was never harassed by the teacher. She qouted her saying that she simply said that "Sir Afzal used to give them very low marks and he never harassed her but the other girls of her class believed that he used to stare at them,".

Later, Dr. Aalia said she concluded her inquiry by writing clearly that allegations of harassment against Afzal Mehmood were false and he was completely innocent. "I also suggested strict action against the female student who levelled false allegations against Afzal Mehmood,".

Fida Hussnain

Fida Hussnain is a lahore based journalist. He writes on politics, religion, social issues and climate change. He is also a research fellow at University of Gujrat.