Sexual harassment allegations: Health secretary, JPMC MS asked to share details of inquiries

KARACHI: The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) asked the Sindh Health Department secretary and management of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) to share the details of the inquiries initiated by both departments against a senior doctor of the JPMC on the allegations of sexual harassment.

As per the official correspondence, copies of which are available with The News, the Sindh HRC’s member Justice (r) Arshad Noor Khan directed both the officials to share the details of their inquiry reports as such were required by the Commission for further action in this regard.

The Sindh Health department and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) had initiated inquiries into the serious allegations of physical and verbal sexual harassment by head of JPMC’s Urology Department following a compliant by a female resident doctor of same section of JPMC.

As per the official correspondence, four-member probe committee of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), after a thorough investigation, found the senior doctor guilty.

The committee, in its report, added that the accused doctor also harassed other postgraduate trainees, and recommended strict action against him including of his repatriation from JPMC.

According to the sources in the Sindh Health Department, the inquiry committee of the department also recommended strict legal action.

The inquiry committee of the Sindh Health Department comprised of Dr Saqib Sheikh, Director of Health Services Karachi as Chairman and Tariq Khan Deputy Secretary of the Department as member.

The Health Department had directed the committee to inquire into the facts and recommend its findings and submit its report within three days.

The Sindh HRC’s member Judicial Justice (r) Arshad Noor Khan asked the secretary of the Health department and medical superintendent of the JPMC to transmit the progress report of inquiry committee and details of action in the case.

Earlier, on January 14, 2024, both the complainant and the accused doctor appeared before the Commission, recorded their statements, and participated in the inquiry process.

This reporter approached Health Secretary Rehan Baloch, JPMC’s Executive Director Dr. Shahid Rasul for their versions on the issue, called on their official and cell numbers and sent detailed text messages on their WhatsApp numbers, but till the filling of this news story, both did not respond.