Ombudsman encourages women to report harassment complaints.

LARKANA: Sindh Ombudsman retired Justice Shahnawaz Tariq has urged women to immediately convey to the office of ombudsman or district complaint centre any instance of sexual harassment.

Addressing a seminar on sexual harassment at Chandka Medical College on Thursday, he said the affected women should fearlessly express the incident before a committee regarding sexual harassment at their workplaces. He held out assurance for delivering justice at their doorsteps and providing free legal aid so that those found guilty of committing the crime could be punished.

The aim of holding this seminar was to create awareness in society, he said and disclosed that on the complaints of women, some people had not only been removed from service, but also fined.

Khalid Khan, director ombudsman office, said a three-member committee would hear complaints and decide about it; therefore women should report to the proper forum for the redress of their grievances.

Prof Dr K. Das, principal of Chandka Medical College, said a women harassment cell headed by Prof Dr Rafia Baloch was already working in the institution. He said 60 per cent medical undergraduates at the institution were females and advised them to raise voice regarding any incident of sexual harassment at workplace.

Head of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) Larkana campus, Ms Zahida Abro, talking about important role of women in almost all spheres of life, said they [women] had been facing injustices at the...