Workplace harassment case
President Dr Arif Alvi has directed the Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH) to conduct an inquiry into the matter of alleged harassment of a female employee by another employee of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police and conclude the proceedings within 90 days.
While referring the matter for inquiry, the president said that right to fair trial was the inalienable fundamental right of every citizen as enshrined in the constitution, which envisaged that not only the rights of the complainant but also the rights of the accused were to be protected, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release on Sunday. The president observed that right to fair trial entailed that each party could be sure that the process would be transparent and the authority would refrain from abusing its powers.
Since mistrust had been shown by the accused upon departmental inquiry committee (DIC), therefore, it was appropriate to entrust the inquiry proceedings to FOSPAH to meet the ends of justice, he added.
The president gave these directions while deciding upon the representations filed by the woman complainant and the accused against the order of FOSPAH to remit the case to ICT Police through IG Police Islamabad for de novo inquiry into the matter and setting aside the order of DIC to suspend the accused and allowing him to resume his normal duties.
