Workplace harassment in Pakistan surges as hundreds of men report abuse

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Islamabad: Pakistan’s workplace harassment landscape has come under scrutiny after official data showed that hundreds of men, alongside women, sought legal intervention over alleged harassment at their workplaces during the past year. This highlights the scale of the issue. It also raises questions about workplace safeguards across the country, as reported by The Express Tribune.

According to The Express Tribune, official records obtained from the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment (FOSPAH) show that 1,290 workplace harassment complaints were filed during the reporting period.

Of these, 769 complaints were submitted by women, while 521 were filed by men. This means male complainants accounted for roughly 40 per cent of all reported cases. The figures indicate that Islamabad recorded the largest number of complaints from men, with 231 cases. Punjab followed with 222 complaints. Similarly, Peshawar reported 42 cases.

Karachi registered 24 complaints, and Balochistan recorded only two. Among female complainants, Islamabad also topped the list with 496 registered cases, followed by Punjab with 154 complaints.

The concentration of cases in these regions has drawn attention to persistent concerns over workplace environments. Moreover, it has raised questions about the effectiveness of preventive measures.

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The official data further shows that FOSPAH processed and disposed of 1,104 of the 1,290 complaints received during the year. This reflects a high disposal rate.

Officials from FOSPAH attributed the relatively higher number of complaints in Islamabad to greater public awareness about the institution. There is also more awareness of the legal avenues available for victims seeking justice. They said awareness initiatives have encouraged more employees to report incidents instead of remaining silent, as cited by The Express Tribune.

FOSPAH officials said the institution, under the leadership of Federal Ombudsperson Fauzia Waqar, has continued nationwide awareness campaigns. These campaigns are aimed at informing employees of their legal rights.

The campaigns seek to encourage women, men, and transgender persons facing workplace harassment to approach the ombudsperson for legal redress, as reported by The Express Tribune.

(ANI)

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