Workplace Harassment Case: Lahore High Court Upholds Punjab Ombudsperson’s Verdict

Lahore, Pakistan — The Lahore High Court (LHC) has upheld a landmark decision by the Punjab Ombudsperson in a workplace harassment case, endorsing the dismissal of a director of a vocational institute for abusing his authority and harassing a female employee.
In a detailed 17-page written judgment authored by Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh, the court dismissed a petition filed by Umar Shahzad, ruling that silence or delayed reporting by women due to social pressure, family honour, or fear of stigma cannot be interpreted as consent nor used to deny them legal recourse.
The court clarified that workplace harassment is not confined to office premises. It held that if an official exploits his position or authority to intimidate, coerce, or pressure a woman into an unlawful relationship—regardless of location—it constitutes harassment under the law.
According to the judgment, the complainant, a female teacher, accused the petitioner of sending inappropriate messages, casting lewd looks, and threatening her with job termination if she refused his advances. She further alleged that in September 2022, the petitioner visited her home and attempted sexual assault.
The petitioner claimed the allegations stemmed from personal animosity and argued that the incident did not occur at the workplace. However, the court ruled that the accusations involved misuse of authority and rejected attempts to question the complainant’s character, stating such arguments do not justify unlawful conduct.
The LHC also dismissed the contention that the Ombudsperson lacked jurisdiction due to parallel criminal proceedings, clarifying that the Ombudsperson’s mandate relates to administrative discipline, while criminal cases follow a separate legal process.
Concluding the judgment, the court found no legal flaw in the decisions of the Punjab Ombudsperson and the Governor, and rejected the petitioner’s plea for reinstatement, reinforcing protections for women against harassment in professional environments.