State Life manager retired over harassment, victim gets Rs1m

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has upheld the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment’s (FOSPAH) ruling in a workplace harassment case involving a senior manager at the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan.

The president ordered the compulsory retirement of State Life’s Assistant General Manager Kamran Channa and increased the compensation to the victim, former employee Urooj Wahid, from Rs300,000 to Rs1 million.

The case began when Wahid accused Channa of sending her indecent and sexually suggestive messages. While Channa admitted to the conduct, he challenged the original FOSPAH ruling — which had ordered his dismissal and a fine — by appealing to the president, PTV World reported.

During the proceedings, Channa issued an unconditional apology to both Wahid and her mother.

After reviewing the case, President Zardari endorsed the harassment charges but took into account Channa’s 29 years of “otherwise clean service,” reducing his dismissal to compulsory retirement.

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In a strong gesture of support for the complainant, the president increased the compensation and acknowledged the psychological distress and forced resignation Wahid endured.

He also directed State Life to reinstate Wahid, affirming that her resignation was not voluntary but triggered by the hostile work environment resulting from the harassment.

A day earlier, the Sindh ombudsman ordered the removal of K-Electric CEO Syed Moonis Alvi from office and imposed a fine of Rs2.5 million after finding him guilty of harassing the company’s former chief marketing officer.

The verdict, a copy of which is available with HUM News English, was issued by Sindh Ombudsman for the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Justice (retd) Shah.

He ruled that “Moonis Abdullah Alvi has committed harassment, created hostile environment and caused mental agony at the workplace to the complainant,” and ordered to remove him from his service “instantly.”