ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has upheld penalty of withholding promotion for two years upon six PTV employees who were involved in creating hostile and offensive work environment for female cameraman (complainant).

He held that complainant's termination from service was being rendered as void ab initio as disciplinary proceedings were initiated against her without following due process, in slipshod and clumsy manner, and rude and degrading actions were taken against her, President Secretariat Press Wing said in press release.

President gave this decision while rejecting representations filed by PTV, Abdul Rashid, Zia-ur-Rehman, Maqbool Shah, Muhammad Munawar and Kanwal Masood in which Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace had imposed minor penalty of withholding of promotion for two years and fine of Rs 100,000 upon Zia-ur-Rehman, Abdul Rashid, Maqbool Shah, Kanwal Masood, Saeed Ather and Muhammad Munawar (respondents) for issuing charge sheets, suspension orders, transfer orders and orders to ban entry of complainant into premises of PTV in slipshod manner.

He, however, set aside penalty of fine imposed by FOSPAH on October 16, 2017 upon employees involved in matter. Complainant had filed complaint before FOSPAH alleging that she had been assaulted by two employees at PTV premises and respondents had supported them.