The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) has dismissed the main accused in a harassment case that embroiled the prestigious university in controversy following the expulsion of the student who highlighted it.

In an email to the student body, IBA Executive Director Akbar Zaidi shared the findings of their anti-harassment committee formed to investigate the case.

“The Committee has decided in favour of the complainant and as per the Committee’s recommendations, the IBA has taken action which has resulted in the dismissal of the main accused, the demotion of another staff member, and a third has been reprimanded for failing to address the issue in a proactive manner,” read the email, which was shared on social media by lawyer Jibran Nasir, who represented the expelled student who has since been reinstated.

The email also mentioned the committee’s findings that there was need for sensitization training for its head of departments and managers.

Nasir also hailed the committee’s find and lauded IBA for considering reforms across campus.

“This case was a continuous struggle primarily because of the apathy and unprofessionalism exhibited by the senior management of IBA during the early stages of this case,” he wrote on Facebook.

Jibran also pointed out that another complaint of the student, against bullying by IBA Registrar during the time that he was expelled, was still pending.

The incident dates back to August 25 last year when the student posted on his Facebook about an employee of IBA’s finance department shouting and threatening a female employee.

When the student refused to take down the post, the disciplinary committee at IBA expelled him for not using the ‘right channels’.

Meanwhile, the concerned female employee also filed a complaint with IBA’s anti-harassment committee.

The expulsion resulted in uproar on social media and by the institute’s student body, who called the decision a “gross over-reaction” and “extremely unfair”.

The student was reinstated on October 5, 2020, nearly a week after his expulsion on September 29, with Akbar Zaidi, the institute’s executive director conducting the hearing of his appeal against the expulsion.

The decision to reinstate the student was hailed on social media, with the student’s lawyer Nasir calling it a reiteration of “the power and potential of student organisation and protest".