FIA’s female employees submit petition

SC approves applications of 130 FIA female employees against gender discrimination in departmental promotions.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday has approved the applications filed by 130 female employees working for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against gender discrimination in departmental promotions.

The petitioners, some of whom joined the FIA as far back as 2002, while others were inducted in 2007, have yet to be promoted to the next grade. However, their male colleagues inducted in the FIA in 2008 have already been promoted, their counsel, Hafiz SA Rehman argued before the court. “The women have been deprived of the right to promotion in violation of Article 25 of the Constitution.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Shakirullah Jan heard the petitions.

Rehman said that female employees are mostly confined to working for the immigration and passport cell.

The FIA’s legal director, Azam Khan, submitted a report on the issue. The court has adjourned the case for two months.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2011.