Key Takeaways
- The National Highway Authority (NHA) has warned its employees against harassment after receiving 10 verbal complaints from female interns.
- The complaints were addressed by the NHA’s Committee for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace.
- The NHA CEO, Captain (Retired) Asadullah Khan, confirmed strict action will be taken against those involved.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) has issued a stern warning to its employees against workplace harassment following at least 10 verbal complaints from female interns, according to sources from The Nation.
The complaints, which were brought to the attention of the NHA’s Committee for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace, have prompted the committee to issue a circular directing employees to maintain professional standards and refrain from any form of harassment or inappropriate behavior.
Sources stated that the grievances had been addressed individually with the involvement of senior officials from the relevant wings, though no formal written complaints were submitted.
The circular, which was distributed to all employees, described the complaints as a matter of ‘great concern’ and an embarrassment for the organization.
It directed all employees to refrain from inappropriate or sexually oriented remarks, gestures, and comments, as well as any unwanted physical contact with employees, interns, or trainees.
The circular also stressed that all official communications, including telephone calls, text messages, emails, and interactions on social media, must remain professional and appropriate.
Employees were instructed to respect the dignity and privacy of their colleagues, interns, and trainees, irrespective of their gender, rank, or religion.
The authority specifically warned employees against abusing their official position, authority, or influence to seek personal or sexual favors.
It also prohibited intimidation, victimization, or retaliation against anyone who reported a complaint to the workplace harassment committee.
Emphasizing the need to uphold professional standards, the circular directed employees to maintain discipline, decency, and appropriate conduct when dealing with colleagues, subordinates, interns, trainees, and visitors.
The NHA’s Chief Executive Officer, Captain (Retired) Asadullah Khan, confirmed to The Nation that the matter had come to his attention and pledged strict action against employees found involved in such misconduct.
He said the authority would go beyond issuing warnings and would pursue those involved, even where complaints had been made verbally. 'I have issued the directions. No one will be spared,' he said. 'The issue is not tolerable.'
I have issued the directions. No one will be spared.
Captain (Retired) Asadullah Khan, NHA CEO
