Rejecting an appeal filed by a government official against departmental action initiated against him on charges of harassing 16 women at a workplace, Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment on Tuesday increased the penalty prescribed for a person involved in the crime from forced retirement to immediate dismissal from service, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
In the decision given by Federal Ombudsman Fauzia Waqar, it was stated that 16 women who worked at a government department in Rawalpindi lodged a complaint that they were repeatedly harassed by a government official, who demanded sexual favours from them and for that had created an unsafe environment.
“The official was found guilty in the departmental inquiry,” read the verdict, adding that forced retirement of the official was recommended as a punishment.
The ombudsman went on to say that during the hearing of the appeal, she thoroughly went through the relevant record and agreed with the findings of the inquiry. “The appellant was given the right to defend himself,” the ombudsman said, adding that the appellant also confessed to have unintentional physical relationship with one of his female colleagues.
However, the verdict read, harassment was not determined on the basis of the accused’s intention, but on the effects it left on the victim’s personality.
“However, besides agreeing with the findings of the inquiry, I think that forced retirement of the official was not enough punishment for repeated incidents of harassment,” the ombudsman said, adding therefore, the penalty was increased to dismissal from service.
Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani