NOWSHERA: An all-parties grand jirga on Thursday set for authorities a three-day ultimatum to complete and make public a transparent inquiry into the alleged harassment scandal at the Postgraduate College.
The gathering, organised under the banner of the Provincial Peace Jirga, was held at the Nowshera Press Club. It attracted political, religious, social, legal, media and civil society representatives from across the district.
The gathering was chaired by Syed Kamal Shah Bacha and attended by several prominent figures, including Maulana Abdul Haq Sani, Pir Zulfiqar Bacha, Atlas Khattak, Idrees Khattak, Safdar Hussain Yousafzai, former lawmaker Sobia Falak Niaz, Mian Muzaffar Shah and other political, educational and social figures.
In a joint declaration, participants said the alleged harassment scandal and the subsequent circulation of accusations on social media and in public gatherings had created severe anxiety and uncertainty not only in Nowshera but across society.
The jirga observed that without any final inquiry or conclusive evidence, hundreds of female students had been collectively pushed into a suspicious environment, damaging public trust in students, educational institutions and the administrative system.
The participants demanded that the government, district administration and law enforcement agencies conduct a transparent, impartial and immediate investigation and make the inquiry report public within three days.
The jirga warned that if the report was not released within the stipulated period, a protest sit-in would be staged at Shobra Chowk and the matter would also be taken to the high court to seek justice.
During the meeting, the jirga also announced the formation of a 22-member investigation committee. According to the organisers, the committee would separately meet the district administration, the education department’s inquiry committee and the college administration in an effort to ascertain the facts and later present its recommendations before the public.
Speakers at the jirga stressed that the gathering had not been convened to support or oppose any individual, institution or political party, but solely to establish the truth and restore public confidence.
They said the manner in which the allegations had been publicised had negatively affected religious, social and moral values while also raising serious questions about the education system and administrative institutions.
The speakers noted that although nearly a month had passed, only repeated references to an ongoing inquiry were being heard, while the absence of a final report was fuelling rumours, anxiety and suspicion.
The participants stated that ineffective legal action had encouraged individuals on social media to act as self-appointed investigators, worsening the situation and undermining the credibility of government departments.
The jirga emphasised that if any student had genuinely been victimised, her identity and details should be kept strictly confidential and presented only before competent authorities, while those responsible should be punished according to law.
However, the participants added that if the allegations proved baseless, legal action should also be taken against those who, without evidence, damaged the dignity of innocent students, educational institutions and the district as a whole.
