“Bas thoda tolerate kar lo, job chali jayegi” — no woman should ever have to hear this at her workplace. Workplace harassment is not something to endure quietly; it is a criminal and civil wrong under Pakistani law, with a dedicated legal mechanism for redress.

⚖️ The Legal Framework

The Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 is the primary law governing workplace harassment in Pakistan. It applies to all organisations — public and private — and covers not just employees, but also interns, clients, and any person harassed within a work setting. Separately, Section 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code criminalises insulting the modesty of a woman, including through words, gestures, or stalking.

🚩 What Counts as Harassment?

• Unwelcome sexual advances or requests for favours
• Verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature
• Creating an intimidating or hostile work environment
• Retaliation for rejecting advances (demotion, poor evaluations, termination)
• Repeated unwelcome messages, calls, or gestures

📋 The Two-Track Complaint Process

1. Internal Inquiry Committee (IC): Every organisation with employees must have an IC. A written complaint filed with the IC must be decided within 30 days.
2. Provincial Ombudsperson: If unsatisfied with the IC’s decision, or if no IC exists, the complainant can appeal to the Provincial Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment within 30 days of the IC decision.

✅ Practical example: If a company has no functioning Inquiry Committee at all, the employee can file the complaint directly with the Ombudsperson’s office — the absence of an IC does not block access to justice.

⚡ Penalties for Employers and Harassers

• Minor penalty: censure, withholding of promotion/increment
• Major penalty: reduction in rank, compulsory retirement, removal or dismissal from service
• Fines up to Rs. 500,000 can be imposed on the employer for non-compliance
• Criminal proceedings under PPC 509 can run parallel to the harassment complaint

💡 Practical Tips

• Document every incident with dates, times, and witnesses as it happens.
• Save messages, emails, or call logs that constitute harassment.
• File your complaint in writing — verbal complaints are harder to act on.
• You do not need to resign before filing a complaint; retaliation for a genuine complaint is itself punishable.
• A criminal complaint under PPC 509 can be pursued independently of the workplace inquiry.

Need Legal Assistance?

HSJ Legal, led by Advocate Hina Saleem Jessani, High Court Advocate in Karachi, represents clients in workplace harassment complaints before Inquiry Committees, Ombudsperson offices, and criminal courts. Reach out at https://hsjlegal.co/contact/.