Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Aalia Neelum has ordered the formation of a full bench and a committee, led by the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), to investigate recent harassment incidents in educational institutions. The case was heard by the LHC, with Punjab Inspector General (IG), the Advocate General, and other officials appearing in court as per its directive.
During the proceedings, the Chief Justice questioned the Punjab IG regarding the delay in stopping the spread of videos related to the incidents. The IG explained that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was contacted to halt the dissemination of the videos, as it holds the authority to remove such content. However, Justice Neelum criticized the delay, noting that the videos went viral on October 13 and 14, but action was not taken until much later.
The IG clarified that the police do not have the power to stop the propagation of videos, explaining that over 700 accounts were involved in spreading the content. He referenced similar incidents abroad, highlighting the difficulty of controlling viral content.
Justice Neelum further criticized the Punjab IG for his delayed response, especially as protests erupted among female students due to concerns about their safety. The Punjab Advocate General informed the court that rumors of a rape incident at a private college on October 12 led to widespread panic among students, though investigations revealed no evidence of such an incident.
The court was also informed that the Punjab Chief Minister had established a special committee to investigate the matter, which confirmed that no student had been raped. The confusion arose from a misreported case involving an injured girl, who had been hospitalized for unrelated reasons and was now in good health.
The LHC has directed the formation of a full bench to further investigate the spread of fake news on social media, with hearings scheduled to continue. The bench will also address complaints of harassment in educational institutions, with the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) confirming the suspension of an individual accused of harassment.
