A social welfare department officer who was accused of sexual harassment was awarded a penalty by Punjab Ombudsperson Rukhsana Gilani.
According to a local media report, the headmistress of a school accused the officer of harassment following their meeting during seminars where he represented the social welfare department and where she was present as the school principal.
It was reported that the headmistress had complained to the ombudsperson office that “the official had been calling and messaging her for no professional reason and that he had often ‘dropped in’ at her school or invited her over to his office. He also used to make offers of ‘friendship’ and had tried to hold her hand”.
Furthermore, Legal assistant Mohammad Abbas said that touching was always regarded as a serious offence.
Moreover, the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010 stated that “when the harasser runs a defamatory campaign against the complainant, this too is considered an act of harassment”.
The ombudsperson concluded the inquiry finding the official guilty of causing harassment to the headmistress and awarded him a major penalty of ‘compulsory retirement.’
