PIA female officer raises objections over panel probing sexual harassment allegations

KARACHI: A female officer of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has refused to appear before the investigation team looking into allegations that she was the victim of sexual harassment and blackmailing at the hands of a male colleague at the airlines’s Islamabad office.

According to Daily Jang, the woman has raised objections on two members of the probe panel of the Women Protection Committee of the PIA.

She had also claimed that the PIA authorities refused to take action against the accused despite the fact that she had lodged several complaints.

The officer had said that she had the records of mobilephone messages sent to her by the male colleague.

The newspaper reported that another member Farzana Yasmin has been made member of the four member committee.

The woman,however, was of view that the team does include any member of the Officers Association.

The victim, while talking to Jang, confirmed that she had conveyed her objections over the formation of the committee through a letter.

In a string of tweets, the national flag carrier had said “CEO PIA has taken an immediate notice of the complaint and forwarded the matter to the Women Protection Committee, with directives to conduct an inquiry and furnish a report.

PIA Spokesperson Mashhood Tajwar told the media that departmental action will be taken based on the findings of the committee.

He said the working environment of PIA is very conducive and especially the female community enjoys great respect and feels very safe in performance of their duties. Though the complaints regarding harassment are almost negligible but every complaint whenever received is taken seriously.”