Islamabad, Jan 20 Sexual harassment continues to plague educations institutions in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with many victims alleging that internal committees do not deliver justice, local media reported.
Several complainants face pressure, intimidation and institutional silence instead of receiving protection, thus forcing them to withdraw complaints or remaining silent to protect their future, Pakistan's leading daily The Express Tribune reported. In recent years, colleges and universities have reported several harassment cases, yet victims reiterate that system meant to protect them had largely failed.
While speaking to The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity, a female student stated that she lodged a complaint after her own teacher harassed her.
The victim said, "I followed the procedure and submitted a written complaint, but instead of help, I was pressurised by the department and members of the harassment committee. The pressure was so intense that I was eventually forced to withdraw my case."
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has adopted the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 after the National Assembly passed it. As per the law, each institution needs to set up a harassment committee to hear complaints impartially and deliver justice after hearing both parties. However, reporting of several cases of harassment from educational institutions indicate that the law's enforcement remains weak.
According to affected students, harassment committees frequently back influential faculty members, leaving victims isolated. In several cases, harassment complaints in educational institutions have reportedly resulted in victims facing severe psychological distress, with some students committing suicide. Many victims remain quiet due to family pressure, fear of social stigma and concerns regarding their academic future.
Statistics from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Ombudsperson's Office indicated that 169 harassment complaints were reported in the province in 2024. As many as 823 harassment cases were reported in Pakistan between July 2023 and June 2024, according to data released by the Federal Ombudsperson for Women. The data revealed 219 cases each were reported from Punjab and Islamabad, 28 cases from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 69 from Sindh and seven from Balochistan.
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