ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Ambassador in Italy has been alleged of sexualharassment from a junior female official of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
She has moved the federal ombudsman’s office against Pakistan’s Ambassadorto Italy Nadeem Riaz, accusing him of sexual harassment, Pakistan today hasreported.
*A* complaint has been registered with the Federal Ombudsman Secretariatfor Protection against Harassment of Women at Work Place which accusesNadeem Riaz of sexually harassing a female commercial attaché.
The complainant, through her counsel Mirza Waqas Qayyum, alleged that theambassador directed her to travel with him to places unrelated to her job.Additionally, she was also directed to arrange residence near his own.
The complainant further alleges that the ambassador had also directed herto race her car with his cycle till Vatican City along with other things,unethical in nature. The respondent allegedly expressed his desire tobecome the woman’s driver and asked her to share an exclusive nickname withhim. Furthermore, the complainant was also asked to visit forests in Romein his company.
The complaint further noted that the ambassador called the complainant inhis office and relayed to her that he understands the nature and plight ofbeing a single woman and invited her to visit him in his room anytime ifshe wishes to. Riaz also informed her that he is single and divorced andshared his divorce story to the complainant in order to gain sympathy,according to the complaint.
Recalling specific incidents of harassment, the complainant said that whilepreparing for an upcoming Mango Show, in the first week of August 2016, therespondent performed an indecent gesture in front of her, which wasobjected to. However, the complainant was sexually harassed time and againand the working environment was made hostile.
The complainant also accused Riaz of trying to get in uncomfortableproximity with the complainant while showing official presentations.
She narrated two incidents in which Riaz tried to get physically close toher: one before Trade Envoys Conference in Brussels from 23rd – 24thJanuary, 2017 and the other before the Expo-Pakistan 2017 on 8th ofNovember when the complainant went to show the presentation for TradeOfficers’ Conference on 6th November, 2017 in the office of the respondent.
As a result of the above mentioned humiliating and hostile workingenvironment, a number of complaints were sent to the Ministry of Commercefrom May 2017 to June 2018 wherein all above issues were raised.
The female official alleged that the hostile circumstances compelled her tofile complaints before the departmental authorities, but they all remainedunresolved.
A summary for recall of the complainant was managed from Rome, to beapproved with the condition of consent of the complainant. However, thecomplainant was recalled without obtaining her consent.