Understanding workplace harassment

Pakistan’s workplace harassment legislation covers sexual harassment and certain forms of gender-based harassment and discrimination. The law applies to covered workplaces and employment-related situations.

Examples include:

• Unwanted sexual comments, advances or messages.
• Unwelcome physical conduct.
• A supervisor demanding sexual favours in exchange for a job benefit.
• Threatening someone’s employment, promotion or evaluation because they refused unwanted conduct.
• Gender-based conduct or discrimination that falls within the legal definition.

Harassment does not have to involve physical contact. It may be committed by a supervisor, colleague or another person connected to work.

Not every disagreement or unpleasant interaction is legally harassment. The circumstances and applicable law determine whether the conduct falls within the definition.

A workplace covered by the law must have a procedure for receiving and investigating harassment complaints.

Ask your employer for:

The Internal Inquiry Committee (IIC)

The committee responsible for receiving and examining complaints.

The workplace Code of Conduct

The policy explaining prohibited conduct and the complaint procedure.

The committee’s contact details

The names and contact information of committee members should be displayed or made available to employees.

If you cannot find these, ask HR or administration in writing. If the committee does not exist, you can seek guidance from the relevant ombudsperson.

There are two principal formal routes under Punjab’s workplace-harassment law:

1. Your workplace’s Internal Inquiry Committee

   You can submit a complaint to the committee. Ask HR or administration how to file it and how to obtain written confirmation.

2. The provincial workplace-harassment ombudsperson

   Punjab’s law allows an employee to complain to the ombudsperson or the inquiry committee. You do not have to assume that internal reporting is your only option.

For workplaces within federal jurisdiction, FOSPAH is the relevant federal authority. The correct office depends on the employer and applicable law.

If you are unsure which authority applies, call a support service before travelling or submitting documents.

Next: how to file a complaint, and contact details in Lahore and Punjab