Kashmala says staring, texting unknown women fall under harassment

Federal Ombudsman for the Protection against Harassment of Women Kashmala Tariq on Saturday said that sending greetings, staring and good morning messages to unknown women is also considered "harassment", reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Speaking at DOW Health Sciences University, Kashmala said good morning and good night wishes, and sending poetry are also included in workplace harassment.

Kashmala said that sending greetings via social media or text messages and staring at women, all fall under harassment.

Emphasizing ensuring gender equality and maintaining respectful behavior towards employers, she said touching any woman in the workplace is also subject to harassment law, saying many people have been fired under strict rules to stop the harassment.

Whistling at a bus stop is also a punishable offence, she said, adding that the case must be heard in the presence of both parties to ensure that the anti-harassment law is not misused.

Kashmala also added that women in Pakistan have the right to inherit property from their fathers and husbands. 

She said that no such legislation has been enacted in Sindh and Balochistan for women's inheritance of property.

Reporter Basim Iftikhar