While expressing his unhappiness over the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) discriminatory and misogynistic action of refusing to assign a residential quarter to a female employee based on the applicant’s claim, President Arif Alvi upheld Wafaqi Mohtasib’s directives directing CDA to assign the quarter to the abovementioned applicant.
The CDA stated in its response to the application that, in accordance with past practice, only adult male workers known as dhobis (washer men) could be given access to quarters.
The Authority had discriminated against the employee, according to the president’s directive, which also expressed surprise at the CDA’s stance. The president stated that the allocation could only be made to a male and could not be made to a female for the same services. This was the most regrettable aspect of the CDA’s position.
This is blatantly discriminatory, and the CDA has been ordered to amend the laws that permit it and to report to Wafaqi Mohtasib on the matter in 60 days.
The president emphasised that Pakistan could not advance if its female citizens experienced this kind of discrimination. According to him, it was against the Constitution, the fair practises of Islam, and the spirit of Pakistan’s founders.In addition, he gave the CDA instructions to follow Wafaqi Mohtasib’s orders, address the complainant’s complaints, and, if necessary, seek clearance from the appropriate authority or forum without further delay.
According to the records, the complainant Shahnaz Begum claimed that her late husband had sought for the allotment of a Dhobi quarter and was an ex-Washer Man who was still associated with CDA. She had worked for CDA as a washerwoman after dad passed away. When she requested a quarter, the company gave it to a worker below her on the seniority list.
Feeling vindicated, she went to Wafaqi Mohtasib, which issued a ruling declaring that CDA had committed administrative malpractice by discriminating against the complainant. It was further recommended that CDA issue the complainant allotment orders for the disputed quarter and submit a compliance report within 30 days.