Pakistan’s Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) has ordered a private company to reinstate a female employee who was dismissed while on approved maternity leave. The body also directed the firm to pay her Rs500,000 as compensation.
The woman joined the organisation as an HR executive in November 2024. Management approved six months of paid maternity leave for her from 13 November 2025 to 13 May 2026. While she was still on leave, the company repeatedly pressed her to return early. She explained that recovery from a C-section, the young age of her baby, and lack of childcare made an early return impossible.
Before her leave ended, the company sent a WhatsApp message saying she should resign or face termination. It also blocked her official email and system access without any formal warning or inquiry. FOSPAH ruled that dismissing a woman because of pregnancy or maternity is gender-based discrimination and amounts to harassment under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010.
The ombudsperson declared the termination illegal. The company must restore her to the same position and terms she held before the leave, and submit a compliance report within 15 days.
