SC directs authorities to strengthen workplace harassment law
- By Web Desk -
- Feb 13, 2019
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday directed authorities to strengthen the law against harassment on workplaces to protect the rights of women, ARY News reported.
A three-member apex court bench headed by Justice Azmat Saeed Khosa was hearing a case filed by former federal ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace, Yasmeen Abbasi against Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.
Abbasi had issued a contempt notice to Justice Mansoor in 2016 after he had issued her arrest warrants, following which the police barged into her office to arrest her.
Related read: Sindh cabinet approves bill aimed at protecting women from harassment at workplace
The court also sought replies from attorney general and provincial governments about interpretation of law on the matter. “This is an issue of extreme importance,” said Justice Khosa.
The SC bench noted that attorney general and advocate general must offer legal assistance on the law. “We should be ashamed of ourselves if we can’t protect women from harassment,” remarked the judge.
He said laws should be enacted in a manner that enabled women to lodge their complaints.
Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment, Kashmala Tariq, said the ratio of complaints in Sindh was zero.
“People hesitate in talking about this subject”, Justice Khosa said. “If there are no complaints it doesn’t mean there is no problem on the ground”, he added.
He stated: “The reality is that you [Kashmala Tariq] haven’t taken women into confidence.”
Before adjourning the hearing until the first week of March, he said that the authorities should develop a mechanism that would make it easier for women to lodge complaints and directed the attorney general and provincial governments to submit responses on the interpretation of the law against harassment at workplace.