KARACHI – An intern at Catwalk Event Management and Productions has accused her boss, PR tycoon of Pakistan, Frieha Altaf, of workplace harassment.
An intern named Neha Kawalramani took to Facebook to share how Frieha had emotionally and verbally harassed her, forcing her to resign.
The intern had also shared the screenshots of her resignation e-mail sent to Frieha Altaf, Neha on her Facebook post wrote, “I never thought that I will take such a bold step against someone. But I had to because Chup beth Ke kuch nai milta. I think it’s high time to show your worth to people. Because what is wrong is WRONG.”
“I, being in my last year of Media Sciences chose to do an internship and luckily I got into a great PR agency named ‘Catwalk Event Management and Productions’ – CEO – Frieha Altaf,” she revealed.
“Heard a lot about this lady always – bad words only. But I got the answer to it once I began working for her. She is Bipolar. She treats her employees like animals and slaves. Once you become a part of her company, you’re no more a kid of someone, or a brother neither a husband. Just a Slave of Catwalk,” the intern revealed.
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She continued, “I kept listening to her since my joining and never replied her back, whenever she shouted. That too for little things. And today, she threw the work I did for her on my table. And insulted me.”
Neha said that she was not the only one to have received such treatment.
She demanded an apology from Frieha Altaf in her resignation e-mail, adding that she has every right to file a complaint against her under Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010.
Here is the post by Neha:
Frieha Altaf has completely denied harassment allegations by the inter. While speaking to an English daily, The Express Tribune, the fashion icon said, “Rather unfortunate and sad that a young, inexperienced intern should turn to social media rather than talk to her line manager to express her views.”
She further added, “The intern is a young lady who is supposed to report and submit her work in a timely way. Bypassing her manager, she would directly submit her work to me which naturally was not always up to the mark. She was hired by the manager, not me. Interns do not get official desks as they are temporary. The lady in question did not complete her work on time, came and went as desired. When her work was done well, she received appreciation as well which she forgets to mention,” stated Freiha.
“No employee is pressured to stay. If the environment of an event company is highly stressed and not suited to their personality they leave. Most young people who have no experience in a work environment only see the glamorous side of our events,” she added.
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In response to the intern’s accusation that the PR company festered an environment of slaves, Frieha said: “A slave is someone who is owned by someone and not paid for services. My employees work very hard, long hours as is the nature of our job. That is what our clients expect from us and appreciate.”
“My employees are exceptional. Some of them have been with me for over 15 years. I’m a perfectionist and I drive them to be the best they are. Many have gone on to open their own businesses and many have come back on their own will,” she added.
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