Two doctors found guilty of sexual harassment

KARACHI: Provincial Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace have penalised the programme director and evaluation officer of child health programme for causing sexual harassment, mental agony,

creating hostile environment at the workplace, and imposed a penalty of withholding of promotion for a period of three years.

The order came on application of Rubeqa Sharif, acting principal of School of Nursing Civil Hospital, Thatta, who accused Dr Iqbal Hussain Chandio, programme director national maternal, newborn and child health programme, and Dr Ashique Hussain Shah, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the programme, for sexual harassment and creating hostile environment at the workplace.

The provincial ombudsman after hearing the complainant and defendants counsel observed that the demeanour of accused persons have undoubtedly established that they have indeed sexual harassed the complainant by misusing their authority.

The ombudsman found them guilty of harassing women at the workplace and imposed penalty Dr Iqbal Hussain Chandio under section 4 (4) (i) (d) of the Protection against Harassment of Woman at the Workplace Act and directed him to pay a fine of Rs1,00,000 as compensation to the complainant within 30 days.

The ombudsman ordered that in case of default in payment, the amount will be recovered through the accountant general by attaching, deducting salary or other benefits.

Dr Ashique Hussain Shah was also penalised under section under section 4 (4) (i) (b) of the act and his promotion is withheld for three years as and when it is matured and his case for next promotion is placed before the Departmental Promotion Committee for first time a per procedure after passing of the order.