IBA Karachi expels student who reported harassment

The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi has expelled a student after he exposed an alleged case of harassment that took place on campus. IBA, in a Facebook post said, “A student from the BS Economics program was counseled by various members of the IBA community, however despite the counseling provided to him, the student refused to adhere to the right channels that are expected to be followed by all members of the IBA faculty, students, and staff.”

The expelled student Mohammad Gibrail witnessed the harassment case on August 25. “What I saw was extremely offensive and humiliating. I was shocked that a man could behave like that with a woman in a professional setting, that too in front of other people. Later I went up to the lady and told her that she should not tolerate this and must inform the administration,” he said in a public Facebook post.

Narrating the incident Gibrail wrote, “This was actually the incident of workplace harrassment that took place in front of my eyes in IBA’s Finance Department where I saw a person whom, I inquired his identity late, named Tanveer yelled at a female employe of IBA in that Finance Department and bursted on her, ‘Mein Raat tak tumhe bithaonga’.”

“These were the exact words that I heard which told alot to me about that shitty environment that would prevail over there if such is the audacity of a person who can spew his crap around, not caring the identity of a female employee in front of students, God knows what the real hell would happen behind that,” he stated.

People on social media are calling out the university for expelling the student:

 Senator Sherry Rehman in a tweet has said that IBA needs to address the issue immediately.

I think the IBA board needs to address this issue immediately https://t.co/wgrw6fxcW1

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) September 30, 2021

By expelling Jibrael @ibakarachi has sent a msg to all female staff/students that they should never rely on any eye witness if they face #harassment as anyone who speaks up like Jibrael will be expelled, also sent a msg to students to keep their heads down when they see injustice

— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) September 29, 2021

Thinking about all the IBA academics who tried to become a part of student and feminist activism in Karachi, minding their silence against the power politics of the institution today

— Manal Khan (@manalkhan07) September 30, 2021

Absolutely appalling from @ibakarachi. Downright joke of a university that has forever acted like its running a montessori. https://t.co/H34rCBVDEY

— Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) September 30, 2021

Absolutely terrible & shameful explanation by @ibakarachi. Keep up with the times rather than archaic colonial notions of secrecy & bureaucratic procedures esp regarding harassment that impacts a wider community. @EDIBAKarachi this tone-dead response worsens IBA’s reputation. Sad https://t.co/9TQaWjeT84

— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) September 29, 2021