Former Pakistan Television (PTV) employee Mahjabeen Abid has come forward with allegations of workplace harassment and retaliation following the reported reinstatement of a senior official previously accused of misconduct at PTV’s Multan center.
Abid stated that during her time at the state broadcaster, she was harassed by a senior official and later dismissed from her position after filing a complaint. According to her, the dismissal was carried out over a phone call.
She reported the incident to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which initiated an internal inquiry. The investigation reportedly found the accused official guilty under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010.
Following the inquiry, the official was removed from his position. However, he challenged the decision at the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment, prompting a second inquiry.
Abid said she was subjected to repeated hearings during the appeal process. “I appeared in hearings with my parents, and relived every detail of the trauma,” she stated.
The second inquiry concluded that the method of her dismissal via a phone call was a violation of rules but dismissed the harassment charges due to lack of evidence. PTV later issued a warning to the official. Abid claims that the same person has now been reinstated as General Manager of PTV Multan.
During the course of both inquiries, Abid alleged that she was targeted by a defamation campaign. “During this inquiry, I was subjected to a vile, coordinated defamation campaign on Facebook by his friends. My private life was dragged, my family was dragged, I was stalked online,” she wrote.
She also said she faced pressure to withdraw the complaint. “I was stalked, my family was harassed, and I was pressured to drop the complaint,” she added.
Expressing concern over how such complaints are handled, Abid wrote, “Why is verbal harassment not considered serious? Why do victims have to provide physical evidence of emotional abuse?”
According to her, the experience led to mental distress and a prolonged career break. “I was unable to work for over a year due to the psychological trauma,” she stated.
Pakistan Television Corporation has not issued a public statement in response to the latest developments.
