Pakistan facing 'tough times' over sexual misconduct by top diplomat in Spain
Sep 07, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], September 7 : Pakistan is facing a tough time dealing with the case of sexual harassment of local female staff by a senior Pakistani diplomat and Consul General of Pakistan in Spain as internal enquiry may lead to further revelations.
Earlier this month, a local consulate staffer lodged a complaint against Mirza Salman Baig over the sexual harassment at the workplace for more than three months in response to which the Spanish department has sought a response from the mission as it cannot dodge the responsibility for providing a safe work environment for the workers.
The victim filed a criminal case in a local court as Baig used to harass her by sending lewd messages through social media. Moreover, she was also subjected to a sexual assault attempt by Baig in a hotel in Barcelona, Al Arabiya reported citing the complaint by the victim.
Following the incident, the victim lodged the complaint with Pakistan Ambassador Shujat Rathore in Madrid, who later referred the matter to the Foreign Office in Islamabad for further investigation.
The Foreign Ministry later sent a two-member team to Barcelona and Madrid to probe the case.
They completed the investigation, on the basis of which the Foreign Office removed the officer from his position and recalled him to the headquarters in Islamabad.
Earlier, Pakistan's official for Protection against Harassment in May 2022 dismissed the former head of mission of the Pakistan embassy in Italy after allegations of harassment were proved against him.
Nadeem Riaz, former ambassador in Italy, was accused by Saira Imdad Ali, an officer of the Ministry of Commerce, of harassment at the workplace. Ali was stationed at the Pakistani mission in Italy headed by Riaz in 2018. According to Al Arabiya, the victim had levelled several allegations, including sexual harassment.
In her complaint, Saira had stated that while she was stationed at the Pakistani mission in Italy in 2018, Nadeem, who was heading it, asked her to visit other cities in other countries, which was unrelated to her employment.
Similarly in May 2020, Pakistan Foreign Service Officer Waqar Ahmad, working as First Secretary Ukraine's Kyiv was terminated from service after charges of sexual harassment by a local Ukrainian employee, Al Arabiya reported.
