ISLAMABAD – A meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights was held under the chairmanship of Nosheen Iftikhar, during which Dr Ayesha, a woman doctor who was allegedly subjected to gender-based harassment, briefed the committee on her case.
Dr Ayesha alleged that former Health Services Academy (HSA) Vice Chancellor Dr Shahzad Ali Khan had harassed her. She further claimed that Dr Shahzad and his wife had filed several false cases against her.
She said she had spent Rs15 million on legal fees in connection with the cases. According to Dr Ayesha, the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace had ruled in her favour, while the president had also rejected Dr Shahzad’s appeal.
However, she alleged that despite the decisions, Dr Shahzad was not willing to step down from his position.
Members of the standing committee expressed solidarity with Dr Ayesha and recommended ensuring implementation of the decision regarding Dr Shahzad’s removal.
The committee directed that the decision to dismiss Dr Shahzad Ali on grounds of gender-based harassment be implemented. It also instructed the Ministry of Human Rights to take effective measures to prevent incidents of sexual harassment of women.
