Business Recorder
ISLAMABAD: The Government of Punjab has appointed Dr Najma Afzal Khan as the Women Ombudsperson under the Protection of Women from Harassment at the Workplace Act, 2010, following a strict judicial intervention by the Lahore High Court (LHC) exercising its constitutional jurisdiction. The appointment ends a prolonged and unjustified vacancy in a mandatory statutory office created to safeguard women workers across the province. According to well-placed sources, the LHC had earlier taken serious notice of the government’s failure to fill this crucial post. Acting on a constitutional petition moved by a female employee of Advocate General Punjab (AGP), the LHC issued directions and sought a formal written reply from the Government of Punjab, demanding an explanation for the prolonged and unjustified delay in filling the mandatory statutory office of Women Ombudsperson The constitutional petition was brought before the LHC by a female employee of the office of AGP, who approached the court through her legal counsel, Waheed Shahzad Butt. The petitioner highlighted that the continued absence of a duly appointed Women Ombudsperson had effectively rendered the statutory protection mechanism under the Act non-functional, leaving aggrieved women workers without a designated forum to seek relief. Waheed Butt added that the Protection of Women from Harassment at the Workplace Act, 2010 establishes the office of the Women Ombudsperson as a cornerstone of its enforcement regime. The Ombudsperson is vested with authority to receive complaints, conduct inquiries, and pass orders against those found guilty of workplace harassment. The government’s decision to appoint Dr Najma Ayaz Khan, coming in the wake of the court’s intervention and scrutiny, underscores the continuing and vital role of judicial oversight in compelling executive action on statutory obligations. LHC’s proactive stance in the matter reflects the court’s commitment to protecting fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan, Waheed added. The Red Line drawn by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has finally been translated into action. For the thousands of women across Punjab who silently endure workplace harassment with nowhere to turn, this decisive move offers long-overdue relief and a clear signal that abuse by male coworkers will no longer be tolerated, Waheed Butt added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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