LHC gives PU go ahead to hold harassment inquiry

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court on Friday allowed the Punjab University to continue an inquiry into a sexual harassment complaint and set aside the provincial ombudsperson’s order restraining the Punjab University from conducting the inquiry.

The Punjab University’s administration had been conducting a de novo inquiry against its employee, Ilyas Moeen Bhatti, on a complaint by a women employee who accused him of sexual harassment.

Bhatti approached the provincial ombudsperson seeking orders to stop the inquiry. The ombudsperson stopped the PU administration from holding proceedings and summoned the case record.

The PU moved a writ petition in the LHC against the ombudsperson’s order. The university’s counsel argued that the provincial ombudsperson did not have the power to stop PU from holding a de novo inquiry, hence her order was illegal.

Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti summoned the ombudsperson’s director/registrar and the case records.

After perusing the record and hearing the arguments, the court set aside the provincial ombudsperson’s orders and ordered the university to complete its inquiry in 15 days. The court also directed Bhatti to join the inquiry proceedings.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2014.