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Harassment at workplace: female EDO education approaches police

ISLAMABAD, May 27: In a patriarchal society like Chitral, educated women continue to face humiliation and workplace harassment in both public and private sector organizations. The women who are doing far better compared to their male counterparts in all spheres of life due to their highest literacy rate in Khyber Paktunkhwa are still facing humiliation and exploitation in both government and private sectors especially those working with NGOs. This could be judged from a nasty incident which happened with the executive district officer elementary & secondary education (female) Zohra Jalal recently when a man, associated with CIADP, a non-governmental organization (NGO), used derogatory language against her without any reason at her office. However, Ms Jalal took strict notice of the incident and brought the issue in the notice of the district police when the man used derogatory language against her and other staff of her department. harrassWitnesses present on the occasion told ChitralToday that the man, an engineer by profession, turned up in the office of the EDO (female), seeking an undue favour for a choice-posting of her sister at a school in Mastuj. They said the accused lost his temper after he was told by the EDO that she could not do him any favour as all the postings and transfers were being done purely on merit. Besides, he was told, there was already a woman who scored well in the recently taken NTS exam for the recruitment of teachers. They alleged that the accused hurled threats on the EDO and used abusive language against her. When contacted, Naveed Yousuf, a muharer at the Chitral police, confirmed that the EDO (female) had written an application to the district police officer (DPO), requesting legal action against the accused who was identified as Samiullah, village Zaini of the Mulkhow tehsil. He said following the application an investigation was conducted and an FIR registered against the accused under sections 353, 186, 189 and 504 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). However, the accused managed to get bail before arrest (BBA) from a local court to avoid the arrest, he added. In the application to the DPO Chitral (copy available with ChitralToday), the EDO (female) stated that on May 6, 2014, Samiullah misbehaved with her in her office besides using derogatory language and interfering in the official matters. People belonging to different walks of life condemned the attitude of the accused towards the female officer, who has a track record of maintaining the office decorum besides not bowing to the pressure of political elites. Commenting on the behaviour of the accused who threatened the lady officer, people demanded disciplinary action against him as he had misused the name of his organization for his personal gains.  ]]>

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