SMIU teacher facing disciplinary proceedings lodges sexual harassment complaint

A female faculty member of the Sindh Madressatul Islam University’s (SMIU) English department has lodged a complaint of sexual harassment to the vice chancellor and syndicate members against two male lecturers of the varsity.

“I am not the only affected faculty member of such a hostile environment, there are multiple others and many female faculty members are subjected to workplace bullying on different levels at the SMIU,” the complainant wrote in the letter.

She demanded that the varsity administration take strict action against those involved in harassment and end workplace toxicity and hostility in order to maximise the female employees’ performance.

The SMIU spokesperson, Mustafa Jatoi, confirmed the complaint. However, he stated that disciplinary proceedings were going on against the complainant when she lodged the complaint of sexual harassment.

“There are two separate matters going on. First one pertains to her disciplinary violations for almost two years. In the last one-and-a-half years, various disciplinary proceedings have been going on against her for misconduct, unauthorised absence from service, classroom conduct, examination duties and other issues.”

He said the varsity had adopted all the due processes during the proceedings against her, including warnings, show cause notice, personal hearing and other procedural formalities. “The complete case was presented in the 27th meeting of the Syndicate held on the 24th of November 2022.”

Jatoi said that on November 29, she submitted a complaint accusing her colleagues of sexual harassment. The spokesperson said that on the complaint, the varsity had taken up the matter with full diligence. “The matter has been sent to an existing committee on the protection against sexual harassment. The committee has initiated its proceedings,” he explained. The SMIU would ensure that both the proceedings were culminated in an impartial and timely manner, Jatoi said.