In the wake of recent allegations of harassment and the tragic loss of life at Muhammad Medical College, Mirpurkhas, the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection against Harassment (FOSPAH) has expressed grave concern and called for strict enforcement of the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010.
In a strongly worded directive, FOSPAH urged all federal government organizations, as well as trans-provincial and affiliated institutions—including educational and medical establishments—to ensure immediate and full compliance with the law. The Secretariat emphasized that safeguarding individuals from harassment is a legal and moral obligation that must be fulfilled without exception.
Highlighting Section 3 of the Act, FOSPAH reiterated that all institutions are required to constitute duly notified, independent, and fully functional Inquiry Committees. These committees must include competent members, with at least one woman, and should be capable of handling complaints in a fair, transparent, and timely manner. It stressed that such bodies must not exist merely on paper but should remain active, accessible, and responsive at all times. The Secretariat further noted that the scope of the law extends to all workplaces, including academic and healthcare institutions, and covers a wide range of harassment, including sexual and gender-based misconduct. Institutions have been directed to treat all complaints with seriousness, sensitivity, and urgency. FOSPAH warned that failure to establish or properly operationalize Inquiry Committees would constitute a serious violation of statutory requirements and could lead to legal
consequences.
