FIA female employees seek SC help to counter gender bias

ISLAMABAD: A two-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday accepted different petitions for hearing filed by 130 female employees of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against discrimination in departmental promotions on the basis of gender.

Justice Nasirul Mulk and Justice Ghulam Rabbani observed that discrimination on the basis of gender was not permissible as it was the violation of articles 22, 25 and 38 of the 1973 Constitution. It is relevant to mention here that around nine female ASIs who were deprived of promotion to the next grades filed the petitions. The petitioners were recruited as ASIs in the agency in different phases from 2002 to 2007. During the course of the proceedings, Hafiz SA Rehman, counsel for the petitioners, said there was discrimination in promotions as only male officials were promoted. ‘Women have the same capabilities as that of men,” he argued.

Source: Daily Times

Date:3/5/2011