National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) has been called out for its disappointing reaction to a student’s claim of being raped on its Islamabad campus, which surfaced over the internet on Tuesday.

According to Dawn, reports had claimed that a female student was sexually assaulted by a construction worker behind the girls’ hostel. The girl also reportedly complained to the varsity administration, “but no action was taken or FIR [First Information Report] registered”.

With social media flooding with posts claiming that rape did take place, NUST on Tuesady night took to Twitter to deny the same. It termed the reports “a desperate act of seeking attention” while also slamming “false rape allegations”.

https://twitter.com/Official_NUST/status/1209500489785729026

https://twitter.com/Official_NUST/status/1209500493971623936

“NUST is safe, and people have no reason to pay heed to this deceitful accusation,” read a subsequent tweet.

https://twitter.com/Official_NUST/status/1209500496119181313

It wasn’t later that people started calling out the university for its “dissapointing” reaction.

When we contacted authorities of @Official_NUST they were even unaware of any such incident despite of news circulating among students for past 36 hrs. If it is fabricated, why report is not being publicized? https://t.co/w7x8ERm057

— PRSF Islamabad Rawalpindi (@ProgStudentsFed) December 24, 2019

A GIRL WAS ALLEGEDLY RAPED IN NUST ISLAMABAD

NUST IS TRYING TO SHUT PEOPLE DOWN. IF YOU DON'T BELONG TO THE INSTITUTION AND NEVER DID, NAME AND SHAME THEM.#RapeinNust

— beezus (@blurmynamepls) December 24, 2019

What kind of an official account makes such a statement wtf is this https://t.co/R3WPHFgjrJ

— Annie (@isthisannie) December 24, 2019

only someone oblivious or evil would act like pakistan is a country where any sane person would falsely accuse someone of rape, given the repulsive mindset of the people here. as you have exhibited. thanks for showing your students where you stand in such dire matters https://t.co/tlQeZIwm39

— Mehar Khursheed (@curlistani) December 24, 2019

Meanwhile, an international public policy and gender reforms specialist, Salman Sufi, who introduced the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act 2016 and South Asia’s first Violence Against Women Centre, urged the varsity to allow an independent probe into the incident.

I have decided to move to #IHC with the help of @MustafaRamday to compel @Official_NUST for an independent investigation into rape allegations.

If @Official_NUST does not act in good faith, we will file the petition. Rape allegations deserve way more than an official tweet! pic.twitter.com/LUCC5ShRaf

— Salman Sufi (Get New Covid Booster Today) (@SalmanSufi7) December 25, 2019

“Safety must never be a factor students have to compromise on to secure an education. The era of student abuse on campus must be brought to an end now,” Sufi said while speaking to The Current.

“I have decided to launch a confidential reporting mechanism for students from all across Pakistan where they can report sexual abuse on campus and we will take action on it. To start, if NUST doesn’t allow or initiate independent investigation into rape allegations, I will move a case in court to compel them to do so.”

He further said that time for institutions or individuals to “self-stamp their exoneration from any assault allegation” had ended, and there must be an independent third-party review of facts.