Alvi imposes fine on accused in harassment case

Directs ombudsperson to conclude proceedings within 90 days

ISLAMABAD:

An accused in a harassment case was fined to "discourage unnecessary litigation filed on flimsy grounds" in a case involving an airport staff member, the President's Secretariat revealed in statement issued on Friday.

"In order to discourage unnecessary litigation filed on flimsy grounds, President Dr Arif Alvi has imposed a fine on the accused in a harassment case to bear the airfare charges of the complainant for filing representations on flimsy grounds in a hasty manner and putting the alleged victim under further mental and financial hardships by making her travel from Karachi to Islamabad with her counsel to attend the hearing,” the statement read.

A female ASI with the Airport Security Force posted in Sukkur came forward with complaints of sexual harassment against the airport manager claiming that he had pressured her to enter wedlock with him to which she ultimately gave in.

According to the complainant, her maltreatment began within four months of their marriage, which eventually led to a divorce in February 2022.

Read more Mental torture must be taken into account in Khula cases, rules SC

She alleged that the accused then went on to pressure her to continue residing with him after the divorce, failing which he threatened to destroy her career as he was her senior.

The complainant approached the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace where the matter went on for quite some time.

The president then rejected the representation of the accused and imposed the cost of air travel expenses of the complainant upon the accused.

He directed the ombudsperson to conclude the proceedings expeditiously within a period of 90 days, besides ensuring the payment of airfare cost by the accused to the complainant before proceeding ahead.