SHC suspends ombudsman’s order to remove KE CEO Moonis Alvi

The Sindh High Court (SHC) suspended on Friday the provincial ombudsman’s order to remove K-Electric Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Moonis Alvi from his office.

The KE through a notice apprised the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in this regard, saying that the KE CEO had filed a petition in the SHC “which has suspended the operation of Provincial Ombudsman’s Order dated July 31, 2025”.

A day ago, the Sindh ombudsman had ordered to remove Alvi from his position of K-Electric’s CEO, over his alleged involvement in a case pertaining to “workplace harassment”.

Sindh Ombudsman for the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Justice (retired) Shah Nawaz Tariq also imposed a fine of Rs2.5 million on Alvi in the same case.

“Moonis Abdullah Alvi is penalised under section 4(4)(ii)(c) of the Act, 2010, and is removed from his service instantly,” read the order issued by the ombudsperson.

Sindh ombudsman orders to remove KE CEO Moonis Alvi for ‘workplace harassment’

Justice (retired) Tariq said in his decision that the KE CEO Alvi harassed and mentally tortured the complainant. “If Moonis Alvi fails to pay the fine, his movable and immovable property should be confiscated and his CNIC and passport should also be blocked,” he ordered.

Meanwhile, Alvi has termed the ombudsman’s decision “deeply distressing” for him, saying the findings did not reflect the truth of the situation as he experienced it.

The KE chief executive said he always upheld the values of integrity and dignity in professional interactions, and he deeply believed in fostering safe and inclusive workplaces for all.

In its notice submitted to the PSX today, KE said the employee had lodged the complaint against the CEO and three other officials in November 2020 before the ombudsman, after she was terminated from services by the company “on October 14, 2020, on performance reasons”.

Following the complaint, the provincial ombudsman issued a show cause notice on November 24, 2020, to the accused persons. The show cause notice was challenged by the accused persons before the SHC for being without jurisdiction inter alia on the grounds that (i) an ex-employee could not file a complaint under the Act of 2010 after termination from employment (ii) the nature of allegations do not fall within the confines of the Act of 2010 and (iii) KE being a trans-provincial organisation, the complaint was not maintainable before the provincial ombudsman.

The KE said the SHC on December 1, 2020, directed that no final order shall be passed by the provincial ombudsman, however, the court later observed that the ombudsman can continue the proceedings of the complaint.

Being aggrieved by the observation of the SHC, the accused persons challenged the same before the Supreme Court, which is currently pending adjudication, it added.

An appeal was also filed in the relevant office of the Sindh governor, the KE maintained.