National Assembly unanimously adopts landmark resolution against workplace harassment

The National Assembly has unanimously passed a landmark resolution reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to protecting people

ISLAMABAD:  The National Assembly has unanimously passed a landmark resolution reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to protecting people from every form of harassment and gender-based discrimination at the workplace, calling for stronger implementation of existing laws across all institutions.

The resolution was tabled by Dr Shahida Rehmani Member of the National Assembly and Secretary of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), during Thursday’s sitting. It was approved without opposition, reflecting rare cross-party consensus on strengthening workplace protections.

A copy of the resolution, dated October 30, 2026 is available with Minute Mirror. The document bears the signatures of more than a dozen women lawmakers, highlighting broad parliamentary support for ensuring equal protection under the law.

The House emphasized that harassment extends beyond sexual misconduct and also includes intimidation, humiliation, hostile behaviour, degrading treatment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender. Lawmakers stressed that such conduct should be treated with the same seriousness regardless of whether it involves sexual advances.

The resolution reaffirmed that the constitutional guarantees of dignity and equality under **Articles 14 and 25** require effective protection for individuals facing workplace harassment in any form. It also endorsed the intent of the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, including the changes introduced through the 2022 amendment, which expanded the legal definition of harassment to include both sexual and non-sexual gender-based discrimination.

The Assembly urged the federal government and all public and private institutions to enforce the law in its full spirit, ensuring that no complainant is denied legal protection because the alleged harassment does not involve sexual conduct.

Lawmakers further declared that a workplace free from harassment, humiliation and discrimination is a basic requirement of human dignity, equality and justice rather than a privilege.

Among the parliamentarians who signed the resolution are Shaista Pervaiz, Shahnaz Saleem (NA-283), Mussarat (NA-307), Naeema Kishwar (NA-322), Shaheen (NA-317), Sharmila Faruqui, Tahira Aurangzeb (NA-276), Kiran Dar (NA-299), Mahjabeen Bhutto (NA-306)** and several other members.

The resolution comes against the backdrop of recent legal debate over the interpretation of workplace harassment laws. It follows observations made by the Federal Constitutional Court in September 2026, which narrowed the understanding of harassment in a way that sparked concern among rights advocates and legal experts.

The 2022 amendments to the workplace harassment law significantly broadened its scope by extending protection to freelancers, contract employees, gig workers, interns, students and domestic workers. The revised law also recognizes virtual workplaces, digital communication, workplace transport and public events connected to employment as covered spaces.

Under the existing legal framework, organizations are required to establish a three-member inquiry committee, including at least one woman, to investigate complaints and conclude proceedings within 30 days, while appeals before the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) are to be decided within 90 days.