Spokesman Report
Islamabad : Muhammad Shakeel Munir, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry has been appointed as Honorary Business Advisor in Federal Ombudsman Secretariat for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH), Islamabad. Kashmala Khan, Federal Ombudsman, FOSPAH invited President ICCI and presented him the letter of his appointment during a ceremony. Muhammad Faheem Khan Vice President ICCI, Khalid Iqbal Malik Chairman Founder Group, Mian Akram Farid, Tariq Sadiq, Zafar Bakhtawari & Baser Daud former Presidents ICCI, Malik Sohail Hussain, Ms. Nasira Ali, Ms. Neelam Khalid Chaudhry, Ms. Zehra Villiani and others were also present at the occasion.
Speaking at the occasion, Kashmala Khan said that President ICCI as Honorary Business Advisor would advise FOSPAH on matters to curb harassment in the Chambers all over Pakistan for better protection of women at workplaces. She said that he would also act as a bridge between FOSPAH and the private sector for the economic empowerment of women by ensuring them a safer and secure working environment. She said that the protection of women at workplaces would increase their confidence as well as improve the productivity of the organizations. She urged that all organizations should ensure safe workplaces for women to capitalize on their true potential for national productivity. She said that it was mandatory for all public and private sector organizations to form a three-member Committee to deal with harassment cases and cautioned that non-compliant organizations would face fines. She hoped that as Honorary Business Advisor, President ICCI would add value to the initiatives of FOSPAH for enhanced protection of women at workplaces in the private sector.
Muhammad Shakeel Munir, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) thanked Kashmala Khan, Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment for appointing him as Honorary Business Advisor in FOSPAH and assured her that he would work closely with the with private sector to ensure safer workplaces for women in industrial and commercial establishments. He said that women were almost half of our total population, but only 25 percent were in the workforce due to which the country could not realize its full economic potential. He stressed that the government should take strong policy measures to bring more women into working life so that they could play their due role in the economic development of the country. He assured that he would keep advising FOSPAH on matters that are important for providing comfortable workplaces to women in the private sector in order to improve their confidence and productivity.