LHC full bench to hear cases of recent incidents in educational institutions
Pakistan
A committee heading by FIA DG will probe the matter
PTA has authority and mechanism to remove videos and stop its propagation.
The videos went viral from more than 700 accounts.
The girl is alive and doing perfectly fine.
LAHORE (Dunya News) - Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice has directed a full bench and committee headed by FIA DG to probe the matter pertaining to recent harassment incidents in educational institutions.
LHC CJ Aalia Neelum heard the case pertaining to investigation of incidents in educational institutions. Punjab IG, Punjab Advocate General and other officers appeared for court proceedings on the court orders.
CJ inquired from the Punjab IG that why propagation of videos were not halted and which authority was contacted to halt the spread of videos.
IG responded that PTA was contacted to stop the propagation of videos as only PTA had authority and mechanism to remove videos and stop its propagation.
CJ Neelum remarked that the videos went viral on October 13 and 14 and now it’s October 18. Why did you contact the authorities late? Why did you cry over spilt milk?
POLICE HAS NO AUTHORITY TO HALT SPREAD OF VIDEOS
IG informed the court that police had only one institution to oversee cybercrime. It’s quite difficult to halt uploading and sharing of data. If it stopped from one account it would be uploaded and shared from another one.
The videos went viral from more than 700 accounts. Police had no authority to stop the propagation of the videos, Punjab IG stressed.
He referred to the incident of UK riots on fake news, saying England had no power enough to control the sharing of content.
Justice Aalia Neelum said to Punjab IG that he was meant for accountability on delaying action for two days and remarked that videos were still available on the X and TikTok.
PUNJAB IG INCOMPETENCY LET STUDENTS PROTEST
CJ asked what sort of measures were taken for the safety of female students who took the streets. It’s Punjab IG incompetency that he let the students take the streets.
Punjab Advocate General informed the court that a post on Instagram stating a girl was subjected to rape in a private college was shared in the groups of students on October 12.
The Advocate general stated that SSP took action by reaching the campus and investigating the matter. The ASP of that area met with the college principal and checked CCTV. Every student was making claims of the alleged rape incident but no one had evidence of that claim.
NO GIRL IS RAPE VICTIM
No student knew about the truth of the incident and students from one campus to other campuses gathered and orchestrated the attack.
Punjab CM formed a special committee to probe the matter that revealed that no one was subjected to rape and it was a rumour that a girl was raped on October 9 or 10.
Advocate general told that a girl who was misquoted as a rape victim was missing due to injury. She was admitted in Lahore General Hospital on October 2 and then shifted to a private hospital on October 4 and remained in the ICU for five days.
He also revealed that “the girl is alive and doing perfectly fine and you can also meet her if you want.”
A self-claimed lawyer made a video on the incident referring to female students’ claims and was granted bail by the magistrate in the case.
CJ Aalia Neelum remarked it couldn’t be implied that this incident was a planned conspiracy but miscreants took advantage of this incident.
Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) Registrar also informed the court that the relevant person accused of harassment in LCWU had been suspended. CJ asked about the number of complaints relevant to harassment in the university.
Consequently, LHC directed the formation of a full bench on fake news on social media and probe recent incidents that would hear the case on Tuesday deeming it an important case.
