ISLAMABAD: Official data reveals that more than 500 men have lodged workplace harassment complaints with the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) over the past year, underscoring that employees of all genders are increasingly reporting workplace grievances.
In total, 1,290 complaints were registered with the ombudsperson’s office during this period. Of these, men filed 521 complaints, representing approximately 40% of the cases, while women submitted 769 complaints.
The ombudsperson’s office resolved 1,104 cases within the year. Among the complaints filed by men, the Islamabad headquarters received the highest number, with 231 cases. Punjab followed closely with 222 complaints, while the Peshawar and Karachi offices recorded 42 and 24 cases respectively.
The complaints encompassed a variety of workplace issues, including concerns related to paternity leave as well as other alleged harassment and discrimination incidents.
Women continued to account for the majority of complaints, with 769 cases registered during the year. Islamabad again had the highest number of complaints from women, totaling 496 at the head office, followed by Punjab with 154 complaints.
FOSPAH is tasked with receiving and adjudicating complaints under Pakistan’s workplace harassment laws. These figures reflect a growing readiness among employees to formally seek redress through the ombudsperson’s office for issues involving workplace behavior, employment rights, and harassment.
