Lahore High Court Initiates Full Court Bench Amid Student Harassment Protests

The Lahore High Court has formed a full court bench to address recent harassment incidents involving female students. Protests sparked by alleged rape and suicide cases have led to arrests and closures of educational institutions in Punjab, with authorities instructed to regain parental trust and control fake news dissemination.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has taken a decisive step by constituting a full court bench to investigate multiple incidents of female student harassment, as reported by GeoTV. On Friday, LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum directed authorities to gather statements from victims amidst claims of rape in Lahore, which have ignited ongoing violent protests in the city and beyond.

Amidst the unrest, approximately 400 protesters have been arrested in Rawalpindi for demonstrating against harassment at educational institutions, with similar actions seen in Lahore and other cities. The enforcement of Section 144 in the province has led to bans on gatherings and resulted in the temporary closure of educational establishments, both public and private, across Punjab.

The court's attention centers around three incidents: protests linked to an alleged rape, a reported suicide at Punjab University, and harassment at Lahore College for Women University. Punjab's Police Inspector General Usman Anwer was criticized by Chief Justice Neelum for failing to prevent the spread of viral videos and maintain order. Efforts are being made to restore educational stability and safeguard student trust as investigations by a committee led by the FIA's Director-General unfold.

(With inputs from agencies.)