LAHORE: Punjab government has transferred the Punjab Higher Education Department’s (HED) female officer who had levelled workplace harassment allegations against the HED Deputy Secretary (Staff) Dr Haider Ali.
According to the notification available with this scribe, HED Deputy Secretary Rahimeen Akram is hereby transferred with immediate effect and posted as Punjab Institute of Management and Professional Development (PIMPD) deputy director admin against a vacant post and a grade 17 officer Muhammad Kashif has been posted on her place.
Earlier in the month, Rahimeen had levelled allegations of workplace harassment against Dr Haider Ali, pointing towards continuous harassment and discrimination against women at higher education institutes.
In her complaint to the Punjab HED secretary, she had detailed incidents of harassment in which Dr Haider had targeted her, her personal staff and the section officers of her office. She had complained about his use of immoral language, shouting and creating unnecessary problems in daily office work.
She had also mentioned that Dr Haider instigated her staff to disobey her, telling them to not take her seriously and asking them to sit in front of him while working.
“Dr Haider came to my office a couple of times and asked for the Wifi password in a threatening way; however, on refusal, he tried to get the password from my staff by using immoral language,” a part of the application had stated.
Moreover, she added that a senior citizen Muhammad Kamal Mansoori came to her office repeatedly despite the fact that his issue was related to the male deputy secretary. “I sent him to the relevant office, but Dr Haider misguided him thrice for the sake of wasting my time, in a bit to frustrate me”.
She also lamented that Dr Haider tried to seek her personal information from her staff. On their refusal, he again used abusive language while threatening them that he would be the “one staying in the department while she would be removed soon, implying that they would suffer the consequences of not obliging him”.
She concluded the application by requesting that Dr Haider be directed to mend his ways as his behaviour was unprofessional, sexist and unethical.
Interestingly, a few days back, HED Secretary Sajid Zafar Dal told Pakistan Today that matter has been sorted out as Rahimeen had withdrawn her application, hastily adding no inquiry was needed whereas now, the female officer has been transferred to another department.
It may be mentioned here that Dr Haider is an assistant professor at the Agriculture College of the University of Sargodha and is working on attachment with the HED.
