QUETTA        -     Professor Dr Javed Iqbal, vice chancellor (VC) of University of Balochistan (UoB), stepped down here on Sunday until the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) completed its inquiry into recent cases of harassment at the university campus.

According to a notification issued by Balochistan governor’s secretariat, Professor Dr Javed Iqbal stepped down to let FIA complete its inquiry.

“On the request by the Vice Chancellor, Balochistan University that in order to let the FIA conduct a fair inquiry into the recent cases of harassment at the university; the Honourable Governor Balochistan/Chancellor UoB has accepted his request till the finalisation of the inquiry report by FIA,” reads a notification.

The notification further reads that Professor Dr Mohammad Anwer Panezai has been given “the look after charge of the Vice Chancellor” until further orders.

On October 14, a scandal of harassment and blackmailing of students of Balochistan University had been reported, leading to the arrests of the university’s security branch officer and surveillance in-charge.

The law enforcement agencies also seized from the suspects objectionable videos and footages through which they used to blackmail the students, mostly girls, according to sources. The scope of investigation has been expanded to around 200 employees of the university.

The suspects had secretly installed cameras in various blocks of the university to take pictures of the students.