ISLAMABAD: A government officer has been fined Rs500,000 for humiliating a female colleague through repeated derogatory remarks and discriminatory language, according to a ruling by the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace.

The ombudsperson found that the officer subjected the complainant to gender-based harassment, including targeting her over her inability to have children and using insulting language that created a hostile professional environment.

According to the decision, the accused carried out a sustained campaign against the woman by posting multiple offensive messages online. The officer also allegedly created a fake book title along with fabricated authorship and publishing details in an attempt to ridicule and humiliate the complainant.

The ruling observed that using terms associated with transgender identity as insults not only constitutes inappropriate conduct but also reinforces harmful stereotypes against a vulnerable section of society.

The ombudsperson further held that while ethnic or linguistic references alone may not amount to workplace harassment, the deliberate use of humiliating and discriminatory language against a colleague falls within the legal definition of harassment.

Emphasising that such behaviour has no place in a professional environment, the Federal Ombudsperson imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on the officer.