Islamabad: The President’s Secretariat has suspended the implementation of an order passed by Federal Ombudsperson for Harassment at Workplace on 13th Feb 2026.
The stay on Ombudsperson’s order has been granted under Section 14(2) of the Federal Ombudsperson Institution Reforms Act, 2013, which provides that once a representation is made to the President, the operation of impugned order, decision, findings or recommendations shall remain suspended while the matter is examined by the President’s Secretariat.
Official correspondence indicates that a representation challenging final order was received and taken up for processing by the President’s Secretariat (Public), Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad.
According to available details, proceedings before Ombudsperson had originated from a complaint filed by the Vice Chancellor of the Health Services Academy himself, in which he had raised concerns regarding the conduct of a colleague. However, the final order was passed against the Vice Chancellor, a development that prompted the filing of a representation before the President.
Officials familiar with the matter say the Vice Chancellor has maintained that the findings of the Ombudsperson do not accurately reflect the factual matrix of the case and that key aspects of the record were either misread or not given due weight during the proceedings.
The representation submitted to the President seeks a review of the findings and recommendations contained in the final order.
In the official letter, the President’s Secretariat has sought the complete record of the case, including the original complaint, replies submitted by the concerned parties, any rejoinders, all interim and final orders, and copies of the documents, annexures and legal provisions relied upon during the proceedings before the Ombudsperson.
The concerned authorities have been asked to furnish the record within seven days to enable an informed review of the matter.
The Secretariat has also invited written comments along with supporting documents from the respondents within the stipulated period, making it clear that if no comments are received, the matter will be processed on the basis of the available record.
The Secretariat has further asked for details regarding the dates on which the impugned order was passed and dispatched to the concerned parties, reflecting a focus on procedural compliance and timelines.
While the suspension of the Ombudsperson’s order provides temporary relief to the Vice Chancellor, legal observers point out that the stay does not amount to a reversal of the findings at this stage.
The President’s review is expected to focus on whether due process was followed, whether the conclusions drawn were supported by the record and whether the recommendations fall within the legal mandate of the Ombudsperson.
The outcome of the presidential review will determine whether the Ombudsperson’s order is upheld, modified or set aside. Until then, the enforcement of the order against the Vice Chancellor of the Health Services Academy will remain in abeyance under the law.