Pakistan

PPP women MNAs take up harassment issue

They said it was alarming that the PTV’s committee against harassment was also accused of being biased

Our Correspondent January 21, 2017

ISLAMABAD: Women lawmakers of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have taken up the issue of alleged harassment of women in the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) by submitting a call-attention notice in the National Assembly.

Recently, cases of harassment were filed in the past few weeks by two female anchors in which they accused their director current affairs of harassment.

A former controller in-charge was penalised last year after the federal ombudsman found complaints filed by five female anchors to be genuine.

President Mamnoon Hussain not only upheld the decision in December last year, but also ordered his removal from service.This year new harassment cases were reported.

PPP MNAs Dr Nafisa Shah, Shazia Marri, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Beelam Husnain, Shahida Rehmani and Dr Shazia Sobia through their call-attention notice wanted the federal minister for human rights to brief the House on the situation.

They said it was alarming that the PTV’s committee against harassment was also accused of being biased.

The complainants, they stated, insisted that the committee’s attitude was derogatory against the victims.

The National Assembly is likely to take up the matter in the coming session, which is scheduled to start on January 26.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2017.