Overview
- Justice Raheel Kamran issued a 17-page judgment rejecting Umer Shahzad’s reinstatement plea and sustaining his removal from the Government Girls Vocational Institute, Jhang.
- The court held that coercive conduct linked to supervisory authority can qualify as workplace harassment beyond office premises, citing allegations that the complainant was targeted at her home.
- The Lahore High Court found no legal flaw in the Provincial Ombudsperson’s February 16, 2024 decision finding harassment and ordering removal, or in the Governor of Punjab’s dismissal of the appeal.
- The judgment rejected challenges to jurisdiction and emphasized that the Ombudsperson’s disciplinary process is distinct from criminal proceedings, noting Shahzad did not deny WhatsApp exchanges with the complainant.
- The court recognized social barriers to timely reporting, stating that fears over honour, family dignity, and stigma mean initial silence does not waive the right to seek redress.