Kashmala Tariq admits facing ‘harassment’ despite being federal ombudsman

Federal Ombudsman Kashmala Tariq has said that besides women, males too were harassed at workplaces in Pakistan, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday.

In a special interview with 24News TV channel on the eve of Human Rights Day, she disclosed that even she was ‘harassed’ in order to pressure her to give resignation from her post because she was investigating some important cases.

“It is my message to women on this day that they should stop feeling afraid,” she said, adding that the federal ombudsman’s office also followed the case even after its settlement in order to ensure that nobody could threaten or harm the complainant. “We have even terminated from service officers as high as serving in grade-22,” she boasted. 

Kashmala said it was unfortunate that the parliamentary committee formed to stop harassment of parliamentarians was not performing its duty.

She revealed that there were more cases of harassment at government offices than at private offices. “Most of the cases of harassment that were reported from the universities involved female students,” she said, adding cases surfaced even at banks as banks’ CEOs and CFOs were removed from their jobs following complaints of harassment were filed against them. 

Regarding the statement given by Prime Minister Imran Khan on what should be an appropriate dress code for females, the federal ombudsman said that the prime minister had later given detailed clarification of his statement.  

She said that the federal ombudsman’s office ensured that widows and poor women whose properties had been occupied got justice within 20 days. “Women, who have to run from pillar to the post for years in connection with their property disputes, are now getting justice only in 20 days,” she said, and added, “Last but not the least those knocking on our doors do not have to pay fees as they are bound to do in case they hire lawyers.” 

Reporter Awais Kiyani (@awaiskiyani24)