Gujrat Varsity faces music charges for harassment

LAHORE:

Punjab Ombudsman Nabila Hakim Khan on Friday slapped a fine of Rs100,000 on the University of Gujrat.

The fine was imposed under the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace and the Punjab Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act 2021 as the university had failed to constitute a harassment committee and demonstrate the code of conduct against harassment.

The Ombudsman emphasized that all public, semi-public and private institutions are required to have a commission of inquiry into harassment. According to the law, institutions are required to display the legal draft of the Code of Conduct on Harassment in Urdu, English or any other language understood by the people there, in an appropriate place so that everyone in the institution can read it easily.

She stated that if both provisions of the law are not implemented, the Punjab Ombudsman has the power to impose a fine ranging from fifty thousand to one lakh rupees.

The notice directed the University of Gujrat to pay the fine within seven days. If the fine is not paid within the stipulated period, contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against the University of Gujrat.