ISLAMABAD: The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) is in a quandary whether to proceed against an officer of his institution accused of woman harassment or face the consequences himself for not putting on record a report of the inquiry committee against the officer.

The auditor general has written letters to the Establishment Division, the secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFSR) and as a last resort to the minister for NFSR Tariq Bashir Cheema.

In the letters, copy available with Dawn, the auditor general stated that “Mr Abdul Ghufran Memon, BS-22 officer of Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service, was proceeded under the Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010 with the approval of the prime minister. An inquiry was constituted and concluded.”

Last year, the then prime minister had ordered an inquiry into the allegations leveled against Mr Memon by an officer of the Information Group.

At that time Mr Memon was working as the secretary NFSR. However, following the allegations, he was removed from the post and posted to his parent department - the auditor general office.

Initially, the inquiry was assigned to Cabinet Secretary Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera, however, after his recusal it was entrusted to a senior officer of the Police Service of Pakistan, Wajid Zia.

Mr Zia concluded the inquiry and sent copies of the report to the Establishment Division and the ministry of NFSR. Mr Memon, on the other hand, filed a petition in Islamabad High Court (IHC) and obtained a stay order. The IHC directed the authorities concerned not to take adverse action against the officer.

Under sub-section 4 of section 4 of the Protection against Harassment of women at the Workplace 2010, “the inquiry committee shall submit its findings and recommendations to the competent authority within 30 days of the initiation of inquiry. If the inquiry committee finds the accused to be guilty it shall recommend to the competent authority for imposing one or more of the penalties.”

Sub-section 5 says that: “The competent authority shall impose the penalty recommended by the inquiry committee under sub-section (4) within one week of the receipt of the recommendations of the inquiry committee.”

Subsequently, the AGP, who is the overall incharge of Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service, sought the details from the relevant quarters.

In the letter to the minister NFSR, the AGP wrote: “A copy of the inquiry report may please be provided to this office as the officer has reported for duty in the auditor general office.”

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2022