KU replaces criminology dept chairman over sexual harassment charges

The University of Karachi on Wednesday replaced Dr Ghulam Muhammad Burfat as the Department of Criminology chairperson on the recommendation of the anti-sexual harassment committee that was investigating a complaint filed by a female faculty member.

The office order issued by KU Registrar Prof Dr Abdul Waheed states that on behalf of the syndicate, the vice chancellor has approved Prof Dr Farah Iqbal to replace the chairperson of the criminology department.

The VC has also ordered Dr Burfat to immediately hand over the charge to Dr Farah. She is also the current chairperson of the Department of Psychology.

Commenting on the issue, anti-sexual harassment committee convener Prof Dr Nasreen Aslam Shah said that Dr Burfat has been removed from his position because of sexual harassment and mismanagement complaints.

She said that he is unfit for the position of the criminology department’s chairperson because many rumours have been circulating against him on campus, due to which students and faculty members have been suffering a lot of problems.

Owing to such circumstances, she added, the committee recommended in its report submitted to the VC office that Dr Burfat be removed from the position of the department’s chair.

She said that he can continue serving as a teacher in the department. She refused to comment further on the issue and did not disclose what punishment the committee has suggested for him.

Talking to the media earlier, VC Prof Dr Khalid Maqbool Iraqi said that the university administration has replaced the criminology department chair, implementing the first part of the anti-harassment committee’s report, while the remaining issues will be dealt with accordingly.

The anti-sexual harassment committee comprises Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences Dean Dr Nasreen, Karachi University Teachers Society President Prof Dr Shah Ali Ul Qader and Deputy Registrar Zia Sheikh.

One of the committee members said that due to mismanagement in the criminology department and differences between the teachers, the students had been unable to attend classes, adding that academic activities had almost halted and not even introductory classes were conducted on orientation day.

Talking to The News, Dr Burfat said that the VC and the committee convenor had been biased during the inquiry. “They had approached me for passing some failed students. I refused and said that the failed students should take the exams again, so they’re targeting me now.”

He pointed out that he has been teaching for the past 25 years. “If I had ever been involved in harassing female teachers or students, I would have been fired from my job by now.” He claimed that the VC had called him to his office on Tuesday and asked him to resign.

“I refused. Why should I resign on someone’s wish? I’ll use each and every legal platform against the harassment committee’s decision. I reject their report because all the members are biased.”