Dr. Hafiza Ayesha Khan, a former Deputy Director at the Health Services Academy, has publicly accused the institution’s Vice Chancellor of wrongful termination without prior notice, the filing of a false police report against her, and the suspension of her PhD fellowship. In a press conference at the National Press Club in Islamabad, accompanied by her lawyer Muhammad Younis Awan, Dr. Khan claimed that after an alleged physical assault on campus, she faced retaliatory actions instead of receiving protection from the administration.
According to Dr. Khan, following the incident, an FIR regarding her assault was registered twelve days later despite immediate reporting. Shortly thereafter, she was dismissed from her position without any inquiry, and a counter FIR was lodged against her, which she describes as baseless. Additionally, she said her ongoing PhD fellowship was abruptly discontinued as part of what she considers a campaign of harassment and victimization.
Dr. Khan has since filed a service appeal with the academy’s president and chancellor, submitted a harassment complaint to the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH), and is pursuing legal remedies. She emphasized her commitment to fighting for due process, dignity, and equality under the constitution, stressing that women scholars should not fear losing their careers for reporting harassment.
Her case, Dr. Khan said, highlights systemic issues regarding the abuse of power by university leadership and raises concerns about academic freedom, workplace safety, and constitutional protections within educational institutions.
