A private company in Pakistan has been ordered to pay Rs. 2.7 million in compensation after the Federal Ombudsman for Protection Against Harassment found five employees guilty of harassing a female colleague and retaliating against her after she formally reported the incidents.
In its ruling, the Ombudsman stressed that courtesy, friendliness, or professional behavior must never be interpreted as consent or an invitation for inappropriate conduct.
The decision also rejected attempts to shift responsibility onto the complainant by questioning her personality, behavior, or choice of clothing, reaffirming that such arguments cannot be used to justify workplace harassment.
Along with the financial penalty, the company has been directed to reconstitute its anti-harassment committee within 30 days to ensure it complies with legal requirements, strengthens workplace safeguards, and provides a fair and effective mechanism for handling future complaints.
