KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday suspended the provincial ombudsman’s order regarding removal of K-Electric Chief Executive Officer Moonis Alvi from his post over workplace harassment.

Mr Alvi moved the SHC against the impugned order of Provincial Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplaces, who had found him guilty of workplace harassment, creating a hostile environment and causing mental agony to a former chief marketing and communication officer of the utility.

The ombudsman also ordered Mr Alvi to pay a fine of Rs2.5 million as compensation to the complainant.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Muhammad Faisal Kamal Alam and Justice Muhammad Hasan Akber also issued notices to the ombudsman, the complainant and the federal and provincial law officers.

The bench also suspended the impugned order to the extent of Mr Alvi’s removal as the CEO of KE till Aug 8, but asked him to deposit the Rs2.5m fine with the Nazir of the court before the next date of hearing.

Bench directs Moonis Alvi to deposit Rs2.5m fine with court nazir; issues notices to ombudsman, complainant and law officers

Petitioner’s counsel Abid S. Zuberi maintained that the provincial ombudsman lacked jurisdiction over the affairs of a trans-provincial entity such as KE and, therefore, was not competent to entertain a complaint filed by a former employee.

He contended that the complainant was unable to adjust to her senior position due to “performance issues” and was eventually terminated, after which she had allegedly filed the harassment complaint as an act of “retaliation”.

He argued that the complaint was motivated by ulterior designs aimed at pressurising and humiliating his client.

Regarding the verdict against the petitioner, the counsel argued that the impugned order was not only “illegal, arbitrary, mala fide and without jurisdiction”, but also amounted to an abuse of the process of law.

He maintained that despite overwhelming evidence suggesting that no harassment — sexual or otherwise — had taken place, a “completely disproportionate penalty of removal from service” had been imposed, along with adverse findings.

The petitioner’s counsel contended that the impugned order conflated the evidence presented with unsubstantiated allegations of harassment, and erroneously presumed the existence of a prior sexual harassment complaint when none had been filed.

“There was no allegation that the petitioner, being in a position of authority, sought out any sexual favour, nor any gender based discrimination was alleged or could be made out as several women are holding high-level positions within the organisation,” the petition read.

“In the circumstances, the findings in the impugned order are flimsy, not sustainable and completely disproportionate. No hostile work environment was alleged or proved as a result of gender based discrimination nor as a result of harassment,” it added.

The bench said that as per the petitioner, KE was a trans-provincial entity/establishment and the provincial ombudsman had no jurisdiction to act upon the complaints, which should instead be addressed by the federal ombudsman.

“Contention raised requires consideration,” the court order said, adding: “Till the next date of hearing, operation of the impugned decision will remain suspended.”

Published in Dawn, Aug 2nd, 2025