Karachi, [20th February, 2024] – Ms. Fauzia Viqar, the Federal Ombudsperson against Harassment, recently convened crucial meetings with the Presidents of Bank Islami, Mr. Rizwan Ata and Habib Bank Limited, Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb, as well as the esteemed Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Mr. Jameel Ahmad, in Karachi. The primary focus of these high-profile discussions was to delve into and evaluate the institutions' adherence to the law on Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 (Act of 2010).

The agenda of the meetings centered on the measures undertaken by the banks to empower women and to combat harassment within the workplace. Noteworthy initiatives included prominently displaying the Code of Conduct within the banks' premises, establishing dedicated harassment Inquiry Committees, and conducting regular training workshops aligned with the provisions of the Act of 2010.

During the meeting with the Governor of State Bank of Pakistan, Ms. Viqar was apprised of the significant strides taken by the institution. Under its groundbreaking Banking on Equality Policy, the State Bank of Pakistan has issued instructions to develop a comprehensive gender mainstreaming policy in all banks to reduce the gender gap, ensure swift handling of harassment complaints from both employees and clients and increase representation of women at all levels. Mr. Jameel Ahmad, Governor further highlighted the regular release of gender-segregated data on the composition of women and men employees, detailing their seniority levels. Additionally, the State Bank of Pakistan diligently collects periodic gender-segregated data on account ownership at all banks.

Expressing her satisfaction with the commendable progress made by the State Bank of Pakistan, Ms. Viqar underscored the importance of fortifying preventive measures across all banks for the complete eradication of workplace harassment. She emphasized the critical need for thorough training of Inquiry Committees to guarantee the efficient and effective resolution of complaints in strict compliance with the provisions outlined in the Act of 2010.

These meetings mark a pivotal step towards fostering a safer, more inclusive work environment, signaling a collective commitment to upholding the principles of gender equality and securing zero tolerance for harassment in the professional sphere. Ms. Viqar remains dedicated to championing these vital causes and will continue to work closely with institutions to strengthen their commitment to a harassment-free workplace.