LAHORE: In 2020, the Ombudsperson Punjab ordered removal of 12 government officers from services for harassment after conducting detailed inquiries and fulfilling all the legal aspects of received cases.

Ombudsperson Punjab Rukhsana Gillani expressed these views in a statement issued here on Monday. She added that during the year 2020 a huge number of cases of harassment were received, which is an alarming though a positive sign that at least women are no more afraid of anyone and are having serious concerns about their safety at workplace.

“After conducting multiple hearings from both sides the officers and officials were ordered the penalty of removal, which is the highest penalty,” she added.

According to her, workplace harassment has always challenged the autocracy of females as a workforce. To provide secure environment to the females at workplace, Ombudsperson Punjab is on its toes to deal every obstacle come their way.

While discussing the details of these cases, she said that an application was received by a lady veterinary officer working in the Punjab Livestock Department against a grade-20 officer.

“The accused was habitual of using abusive language with his subordinate female staff. On one event he ordered females to come well prepared and in good-looking dress, so that Ministers and VIPs visiting the seminar may be pleased. When all the female staff refused to take his orders, just to manipulate them he closed the day care centre, which was working smoothly. Another subordinate lady was given hard duty just few weeks before her expected delivery, she suffered miscarriage.

On the complaint of two lady officers the inquiry was conducted and after cross examining the viewpoints and all the evidences received from both sides the officer was found guilty of harassment and was awarded the penalty of removal of services,” she added.

In another case, she said, a director in the Punjab Agriculture Department was compulsorily retired from service by Ombudsperson. “The accused was recently promoted as Director in year 2020. He became interested too much in all subordinate ladies, especially officers of 17 scales. He repeatedly contacted them through telephone and invited to attend meeting during Coronavirus days in his office.

He was calling them ‘sweet girl’ and ‘angry young bachelor’. The officer also directed all young ladies to attend a meeting at Murree along with night stay while all of them were directed to join his personal WhatsApp group; unethical talks, information and jokes were shared in the group, and it was directed that no one can leave the group.

“When all the ladies refused to fulfil his desires, he threatened to spoil their ACRs; finally four ladies jointly lodged complaint against the accused and proved their allegations through documents, audio and video recording and thus the Ombudsperson convicted the accused and awarded him punishment of compulsory retirement,” she added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021