Federal ombudsperson orders strict penalty after hearing female officer’s complaint, while allegations against another accused remain unproven

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace has dismissed a junior clerk from government service and imposed a Rs1 million fine after finding him responsible for harassing a female officer.

Federal Ombudsperson Fozia Waqar announced the decision after completing proceedings on a complaint lodged by the officer against the employee at a government institution in Islamabad.

According to the complaint, the junior clerk subjected the female officer to harassment in her professional environment. After examining the allegations and hearing the case, the ombudsperson found sufficient grounds to take disciplinary action against him.

Ombudsperson Orders Dismissal and Financial Penalty

Consequently, the ombudsperson ordered the clerk’s dismissal from government service and directed him to pay a fine of Rs1 million.

The complainant had also accused another individual of facilitating the alleged harassment. However, proceedings failed to establish the allegation against the second person. Therefore, the ombudsperson dismissed that part of the complaint.

The decision adds to recent cases in which the federal workplace harassment watchdog has imposed substantial penalties on government employees found responsible for inappropriate conduct towards female colleagues.

Previous Case Draws Rs500,000 Fine

Recently, the ombudsperson fined another government officer Rs500,000 after finding that he repeatedly subjected a female colleague to insulting and gender-based remarks.

According to that ruling, the officer mocked the woman over her inability to have children and repeatedly compared her with a transgender person. The ombudsperson concluded that he deliberately used the comments to humiliate his colleague at work.

Furthermore, the ruling stressed that such behaviour has no place in a professional environment and falls within the scope of workplace harassment.

The latest decision reinforces the consequences government employees can face when authorities establish workplace harassment allegations through formal proceedings.