After the charges of blackmailing and sexually harassing a female employee at MEPCO were proven, President Dr Arif Alvi has upheld the penalty of “dismissal from service” imposed upon Khizer Hayat, Assistant Director, besides enhancing the amount of the fine from Rs500,000 to Rs1 million.
He also upheld the penalty of “reduction to lower post” imposed upon Mian Sohail Afzal, Director (Admin), for three years and increased the fine from Rs1 million to Rs1.1 million to be paid as compensation to the victim.
He also upheld the exoneration of Sohail Abbas, Deputy Director, and Jamshed Ahmed Niazi, Director, as no cogent evidence or substance was available against them to prove them guilty of the charge beyond any shadow of a doubt.
The president gave these orders while rejecting two representations filed separately by Khizer Hayat and Mian Sohail Afzal against the orders of the Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH) imposing fines and major penalties upon the two officers.
A female commercial assistant at Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) had filed a complaint before FOSPAH against four employees stating that they hacked her mobile data, made sexual demands, got published false news items against her, and demanded Rs500,000 from her to stop the series of news from its further publication.
After hearing the case, the president in his decision stated that a good message had to be sent to society that we would ensure the protection of women against harassment so that our women feel safe in the working environment of the country and our families were confident that if women get harassed, the law of the land would take strong action.
The president rejected the stance of one of the accused that the case against him was the result of any conspiracy, concoction or fabrication. “It is a matter of common sense and even a man of prudent mind cannot think that a lady can ruin her modesty and dignity herself by making false complaints of sexual harassment just to defame a person or colleague”, he said.
He added that the protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 had been promulgated for the safety of women who feel insecure at the workplace and to teach a lesson to the transgressors for their acts of harassment or abuse of their financial position.
Dr Alvi remarked that such acts of sexual harassment were required to be condemned and discouraged, especially in organisations like MEPCO. “If MEPCO management cannot assure a female employee a safe and secure workplace, she will fear stepping out of her home to make a dignified living”, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 6th, 2023.
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