In a significant ruling, the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) has found intern Saud-ur-Rehman guilty of harassing Naheed Saghir, a female branch manager at Sindh Bank.

The decision underlines a crucial point: harassment is not limited to power or rank—it can also come from subordinates.

The case, titled Naheed Saghir vs Saud-ur-Rehman, stems from events dating back to 2017, when Saud worked as an intern under Naheed’s supervision at Sindh Bank.

According to Naheed, Saud repeatedly harassed her by sending inappropriate messages, making unsolicited visits to her workplace, and creating psychological pressure. Even after his internship ended, Saud allegedly continued to harass her through digital means for several years and later attempted to malign her by filing false accusations.

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FOSPAH’s verdict was based on substantial evidence, including WhatsApp messages, videos, witness testimonies, and a detailed investigation report by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The probe confirmed that the phone numbers used to send the messages were registered in Saud’s name.

As a result, the ombudsperson imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on Saud-ur-Rehman, of which Rs450,000 will be awarded to Naheed Saghir as compensation.

This landmark ruling reaffirms that harassment is not always a top-down issue. Subordinates can also be perpetrators, and women—even those in managerial roles—are not immune to such misconduct. The decision also highlights the importance of having robust and effective legal mechanisms to address and prevent harassment in the workplace.

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