Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar has suspended the dismissal of former Health Services Academy vice chancellor Dr Khan in a harassment case and stayed the relevant orders.
The chief justice issued the stay after hearing Dr Khan’s petition and also suspended the Aug 11, 2026 decision of the Presidency, which had rejected his representation against the Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment (Fospah) ruling.
According to the court’s two-page written order, Dr Khan’s counsel said his client, a senior health-sector expert and former HSA vice chancellor, had initially approached Fospah against a woman, accusing her of blackmail, intimidation and financial irregularities.
The woman later filed a counter-complaint against Dr Khan, alleging harassment. Fospah dismissed his complaint but upheld the allegations against him and imposed the maximum penalty of dismissal from service.
Dr Khan challenged the decision before the President, but his representation was rejected on Aug 11, upholding his dismissal.
The IHC order noted the petitioner’s argument that proceedings before the Presidency had indicated that the matter did not constitute a case of sexual harassment. His counsel maintained that no specific incident of sexual harassment had been established and that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations.
The Presidency’s detailed decision had also questioned Fospah’s legal reasoning, observing that the dispute appeared to be primarily a personal conflict rather than a conventional workplace harassment case. It also noted that the question of whether a valid marriage existed between the parties was a matter for the family courts.
However, the Presidency upheld the dismissal over Dr Khan’s conduct towards the woman, particularly his decision to terminate her services a day after she registered an FIR against him, which it said contributed to creating a hostile work environment.
The IHC has suspended the impugned orders and sought further proceedings in the matter.
