ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has ordered the Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH) to investigate allegations of workplace harassment against a male employee of the Islamabad police by a female colleague.
The president emphasised that the right to a fair trial is a fundamental right of every citizen as enshrined in the Constitution, and that both the rights of the complainant and the accused must be protected.
To ensure transparency and prevent the abuse of power, the president deemed it appropriate to entrust the inquiry proceedings to FOSPAH. The inquiry must be concluded within 90 days.
The case involves a harassment complaint filed by the employee against a male colleague within the departmental hierarchy of the police. The matter was referred to a departmental inquiry committee, which recommended the accused be placed under suspension and charged for conducting a regular inquiry.
The accused filed a representation with FOSPAH, which ordered a de-novo trial. Dissatisfied with the decision, both parties filed separate representations with the president.
The president observed that the allegations of workplace harassment had yet to be probed into, and that the accused had expressed apprehension that remitting the matter again to the DIC was not fair due to a likelihood of administrative bias.
The president therefore set aside the orders of FOSPAH and directed it to conduct its own inquiry within the statutory period.
