ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) on Tuesday ordered the dismissal of a government officer after 16 female employees filed harassment complaints against him.
In a statement, FOSPAH said it had enhanced the penalty from compulsory retirement to dismissal, declaring the earlier punishment insufficient in light of the severity and frequency of the incidents.
According to the statement, 16 women working in a public sector department reported repeated cases of harassment, including creating an intimidating and unsafe work environment and inappropriate physical conduct.
A departmental inquiry found the allegations to be substantiated and initially recommended compulsory retirement, which was implemented by the competent authority.
However, upon appeal, FOSPAH reviewed the complete record, upheld the findings of the inquiry, and rejected the officer’s appeal.
The ombudsperson ruled that compulsory retirement was not an adequate penalty given the repeated nature of the misconduct and ordered his immediate dismissal from service.
The statement further noted that the accused had admitted to at least one instance of non-consensual physical interaction with a female colleague during the proceedings.
FOSPAH emphasized that, under the law, harassment is determined by its impact on the victim rather than the intent of the accused.
It concluded that in cases involving repeated incidents, stricter penalties are warranted.