Contempt: LHC suspends warrants against ombudsperson

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court on Wednesday suspended arrest warrants issued for Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Yasmeen Abbasi and directed her to appear in person for the next hearing of a contempt of court petition.

Earlier, the federal law secretary told the court that the office of the federal ombudsperson did not fall in its jurisdiction. He said, however, that the ombudsperson should comply with a high court order. Additional Attorney General Naseer Ahmad Bhutta said the ombudsperson should obey court orders in any case.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Syed Ali Zafar, who was assisting the court as amicus curie, said the ombudsperson should be given more time to implement the order. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah suspended the warrants. The judge adjourned further hearing till February 12.

Advocate Saleem Javed had filed the contempt petition seeking action against the ombudsperson for violating a stay order issued by the high court. The petitioner said his client had filed a harassment complaint with the office of the ombudsperson.

He said the court had later stayed proceedings on the complaint. He said the ombudsperson had ignored the stay order and continued proceedings on the complaint. The counselhad  sought action against the ombudsperson under contempt of court law.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2016.