LDA female staffer accuses officer of harassment

LAHORE:A female officer of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has officially filed a complaint against an Additional Director General for “intimidating behaviour.”

Iram Ayman, Assistant Director Law, who is working as Manager LDA’s Sports Complex, filed an application on July 9, to the Additional Director General (UP) with subject “Intimating behaviour of Secretary Sports Complex” who is also Additional Director General (HQ). Sources in the LDA revealed that the complaint of Iram Ayman had reached the DG Cell on August 5. Several females working in LDA also contacted the scribe and told stories of harassment at work place but none of them wanted to come out openly because of our social system. Earlier, The News had also highlighted a similar case in which a female officer was facing hardship and harassment in her work and was repeatedly transferred from one seat to another due to her honesty.

As per Iram Ayman’s complaint, she was working as Manager Sports Complex but transferred on 17th June and the PSO to the Secretary Sports Complex Shehzada Jawad was posted in her place. She said later it was revealed that the PSO was given undue favour as she was performing well and then the orders of the PSO were cancelled and she was posted there again. “After resuming charge, the undersigned went to the office of the Secretary Sports Complex/ADG (HQ) to discuss the issue of the monthly fees of the members (it is pertinent to mention here that as per the instructions of the Secretary Sports Complex from the very beginning, every issue has to be taken to his office by hand and then routed to the file), so as the ritual the undersigned went to his office, however, the Secretary Sports Complex was so furious that he threw the file on the table and shouted “how dare you think that I will be doing your files now. Go and do it yourself.” The undersigned got terrified by this conversation and he said “forget about the fact that you will be able to work now.” The undersigned got terrified and went out of the office without even saying a word.”

After the episode, the Secretary Sports Complex appointed a caretaker, who was transferred from the sports complex due to some complaints in the past, as Assistant Manager and all powers of Manager were given to him. Interestingly, the appointment orders of Assistant Manager were issued on July 2 but the seat was created on July 7. She further alleged the Secretary Sports Complex also forced her to sit for two hours in his office despite repeated requests to let her go to her office. She said the secretary adopted a very humiliating attitude towards her in the presence of his PSO, which was highly insulting to her. “In the light of the issues, it becomes crystal clear that the Secretary Sports Complex/ADG (HQ) is getting personal with the undersigned so the departmental protection should be given to the female office and immediate notice should be taken,” she concluded.

Several female officers of LDA while talking to the scribe on the condition of anonymity said that the LDA management should take immediate notice of complaints of female officers. They said instead action on such complaints was delayed and female staffers were further harassed and forced to withdraw their complaints.

When contacted, the Secretary Sports Complex said that there were some problems in the working of Iram Ayman due to which he earlier posted Jawad and later posted an assistant manager as a caretaker. To a question that a caretaker was appointed on July 2, but the seat was created on July 7, he said it was not an issue and the department could create a seat any time. To a question over harassment of Iram, he said she was playing the “female card” to defame him.

Iram Ayman told this scribe that since she filed her complaint the management had not contacted her. She said she had filed the complaint as an officer not as a female. She said she had objections to the “illegal posting” of caretaker, which she also highlighted in her complaint with evidence.

LDA Vice Chairman SM Imran said that LDA was an organisation where females were given equal opportunities and rights. He said such complaints would not be tolerated and action would be taken.