ISLAMABAD: The 14th meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights was co-chaired Monday at Parliament House by Barrister Danyal Chaudhry, Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting, alongside the Committee Chairperson.
In a significant development, the Committee unanimously resolved to uphold the ruling of the Federal Ombudsman for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) in the Dr. Ayesha harassment case, sending a clear and unambiguous message that workplace harassment in any form is unacceptable and will be dealt with strictly.
The Committee’s resolve follows President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent endorsement of Dr. Shahzad Ali Khan’s dismissal as former Vice Chancellor of the Health Services Academy over sexual harassment and assault charges involving a junior female officer. The Presidency, while rejecting Dr. Shahzad’s appeal, noted that he had abused his authority and fostered a hostile work environment, thereby validating the FOSPAH decision and upholding the termination order.
The Committee also took up the Ayat Noor case from Haripur, resolving that should the victim’s parents express dissatisfaction with the ongoing probe led by SP Hazara and RPO Hazara Nasir Satti, they would be allowed to request a fresh investigation team from a special unit.
Additionally, condemning the brutal murder of Hina Javed in Rawalpindi, the Committee asserted that the case must be pursued rigorously without any leniency towards the powerful, reiterating that nobody stands above the law.
The decisions adopted today reflect the Committee’s unwavering dedication to safeguarding citizens’ rights and ensuring expeditious, impartial justice in high-profile cases nationwide.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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