Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has taken a firm step to guarantee a secure and welcoming learning environment for female students attending public institutions by directing the immediate implementation of anti-harassment regulations in all of the province's public universities.

In this regard, the Higher Education Department has received an official letter from the Chief Minister's Secretariat. Although there is a framework of laws, rules, and policies to prevent harassment in workplaces and educational institutions, some colleges have shown flaws in their implementation, according to the letter.

It adds that recent instances of alleged harassment occurrences have been emphasized in the media due to the absence of effective enforcement.

Taking careful note of these incidences, the Chief Minister has described them as grave transgressions of both current laws and moral principles. He reaffirmed that harassment in any form is strictly prohibited by the provincial government, especially in educational institutions.

The directive gives the Higher Education Department instructions to put the appropriate safeguards in place to stop harassment in all of the schools that fall under its purview. Additionally, it requires that staff members and female students be informed of current anti-harassment regulations.

The legal framework mandates that universities create harassment inquiry panels and designate focal individuals, one of whom must be a woman. To provide accessibility, university websites must post their contact information.

The Higher Education Department's procedures and rules must be closely followed by universities as they create an efficient system for reporting and handling harassment complaints.

Every institution has 10 days to follow these instructions and turn in compliance reports. Action against responsible officials under applicable legislation will follow failure to comply within the allotted period.