Behaviour of students sullies reputation of KMC

PESHAWAR: Some students of the prestigious Khyber Medical College (KMC) due to their irresponsible behavour in the United States not only damaged reputation of their college but also caused embarrassment to its administration.

 Senior faculty members of KMC told The News that it was not less than a shame and embarrassment when they came to know that a college student had been held in the US on charges of sexual harassment.

They said that in another incident, Toledo University in Ohio had taken strong note of behavour of the KMC students during their recent visit under student exchange programme and reportedly threatened to suspend the programme if the college didn’t pay $350 as fine.

According to the faculty members, they were initially informed that a KMC student identified as Abdul Malik who had gone to the US under students’ exchange programme had been caught on the charges of sexual harassment.

“It not only damaged the image of this prestigious medical institution but also caused huge embarrassment to the college administration and its faculty. This college is known all over the world for producing the best graduates serving everywhere in the globe,” said a senior faculty member of the college.

Another faculty member told The News that students sent to Toledo University in Ohio under the students exchange programme had caused embarrassment by behaving in a manner as if they had never used toilets.

“The university administration expressed deep shock over behaviour of the students. It had sent us pictures of the washrooms and living rooms that remained in use of the KMC students. It imposed $350 dollars fine on KMC and threatened to cancel the memorandum of understanding signed with KMC in case the fine was not paid,” a senior faculty member of the college told The News. When contacted, KMC Principal Prof Ijaz Hassan Khan Khattak confirmed the arrest of KMC student on sexual harassment charges in the US. He said though the student, Abdul Malik, studied in the KMC, he reportedly went to the US in the youth exchange programme on his own expenses.

He said after the student was caught in the US, they properly investigated the case and found that he was not visiting the US under the exchange programme.

“He was among the few students who was issued notices for attendance shortage by the KMC. He belonged to Orakzai Agency in Fata and didn’t seek our permission to go to the US,” Prof Ijaz Hassan Khan said. About the fine imposed on the college by Toledo University, he said: “The university administration informed us about the irresponsible behaviour and living standard of the student who left the washroom and living room in disorder. We then decided to impose $150 fine on one student.”

 “The student admitted his fault and we imposed fine on him. We have decided to properly educate our students prior to their foreign visits,” Prof Ijaz Hassan pledged.

He said KMC had signed MoUs for students’ exchange programme with Toledo University with the help of noted cardiovascular surgeon, Dr Amjad Hussain and with Virginia Cancer Institute due to the efforts of Dr Atique Samdani.

Both, Dr Amjad Hussain and Dr Atique Samdani are the graduates of the KMC. Under the programme, the college principal said six students of final year were selected on merit for visiting Toledo University and Virginia Cancer Institute during the summer vacations for one-month orientation. Former governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan during the last convocation of the college announced Rs1 million for students exchange programme. According to sources, it has not yet materialised.