The Progressive Students Collective (PSC) organized an anti-harassment rally on Tuesday, following clashes in Lahore that left 28 students injured during a protest against the alleged on-campus rape of a girl.
The unrest began on Sunday when a security guard was arrested after reports of the incident circulated on social media. According to a police statement, the suspect is in custody, and an investigation is ongoing. However, it was noted that no first information report (FIR) had been filed since the victim’s family had not yet come forward to report the incident.
The Punjab police later posted on X, urging anyone with information regarding the alleged rape to contact authorities immediately, either by calling 15 or using the Women Safety App, assuring that the whistleblower’s identity would be kept confidential.
Outraged by the alleged incident, students mobilized via social media and held protests outside various colleges in the city on Monday. These protests escalated into clashes between the demonstrators and college security personnel, which later involved confrontations with the police, resulting in injuries on both sides. According to a statement from Rescue 1122, the clashes occurred at the Hafeez Centre Punjab College Campus.
On Tuesday, the PSC rallied from Government College University to the Punjab Assembly, calling for demonstrators to gather at 10:30 a.m. Their demands included an investigation into the previous day’s violence against students, the Punjab College rape case, and incidents of harassment at Lahore Women’s College. They called for the establishment of a committee comprising independent human rights organizations, student representatives, and judges.
Additionally, they demanded the formation of anti-harassment committees on various campuses, ensuring student representation, particularly from female students. They also called for an awareness campaign regarding laws and procedures related to harassment, emphasizing the need for guidelines to be included in educational curricula.
‘No CCTV Footage of Incident Found’
The director of the Punjab Group of Colleges, Agha Tahir Ijaz, addressed the alleged rape incident in a video statement on Tuesday. He stated, “We reviewed the CCTV records but found nothing. We approached several police stations, but no case was reported there.” He added that the police had taken all CCTV records from the college and that they had contacted several students who were absent for various reasons.
In response to social media claims about a hospital, he mentioned they checked multiple hospitals but found no evidence. Ijaz stated that students requested camera footage, but all recordings were in police custody. He clarified, “Students claimed the basement door was shut during the alleged incident, but there are no doors at the basement of the Gulberg campus. The entrance is open for vehicles.”
He explained that a security guard, who was on leave at the time, was arrested due to his mention on social media. “We did not prevent anyone from protesting, only from rioting,” he added. “No girl or family has been identified on social media.”
Legal Action Taken Against Harassment in Educational Institutions
In a related development, a citizen from Lahore, Azam Butt, filed an application in the Lahore High Court regarding alleged harassment incidents in educational institutions. The petition highlighted a recent suicide of a girl at Punjab University and referenced protests against harassment at other universities.
The petition stated, “Incidents of harassment of female students have been reported across various educational institutions in Punjab, yet no action has been taken by the provincial government.” It emphasized that protecting female students is the responsibility of the Punjab government and requested the court to order an investigation into these harassment cases, urging the government to ensure the safety of female students.
