In a significant win for student activism, the Institute of Business Management (IOBM) administration has been compelled to withdraw its disciplinary action following sustained protests sparked by an alleged harassment case.
The incident, which began with a reported case of harassment, escalated sharply when the victim was reportedly humiliated and expelled for bringing the complaint forward, exposing a serious flaw in the university’s internal complaint mechanisms.
MORE POWER TO STUDENTS!! BIG WIN FOR IOBM STUDENTS BUT REFORMS STILL NEEDED.
The recent incident of alleged harassment at IOBM, followed by the victim’s humiliation and expulsion for reporting it, exposes the absence of proper mechanisms to address harassment complaints. What… https://t.co/z9pPIYYIGx pic.twitter.com/dWJVfDVNbt
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) October 27, 2025
The initial institutional response, which seemed to target the complainant rather than the alleged harasser, led to a campus-wide standoff.
The female student accused a member of the transport department of harassment and misconduct after a dispute over her student ID card in late September 2025.
The student was reportedly expelled for “misbehavior” after filing her complaint, and the university’s human resources department allegedly denied and dismissed her report.
Despite this, reports claim the administration continued to pressure the victim to issue a public apology and insisted on communicating verbally rather than in writing.
Additionally, IoBM announced the shift to online classes on Sunday, October 26, 2025, ahead of the planned protest on Monday.
In response, students have continued to organize and plan further demonstrations, including potential protests at the campus gate.
Students and activists, including lawyer Jibran Nasir, have criticized IoBM for prioritizing its reputation over student safety and have highlighted the inadequacy of the university’s anti-harassment policies.
IOBM in order to suppress Student Protest and avoid itself any scrutiny have out of the blow decided to shut down the campus and take all classes online for a week in the name of preparation of mid term examinations. So hell-bent is IOBM to prove that no harassment took place on… https://t.co/Fb5wcQb55o pic.twitter.com/aRTpOpQTea
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) October 26, 2025
However, the sustained student pressure, including boycotts and public awareness campaigns, proved decisive. The administration ultimately conceded, retracting its unreasonable demands and rescinding the expulsion order.
