After complaints of harassment, the Mansehra Traffic Police has barred female students from sitting in the front passenger seats of the public transport across the district.
According to Express Tribune, the ban was imposed by the police in a bid to curb harassment. The women were subjected to harassment by the drivers as the front section of the Suzuki vans and pick-ups is entirely detached from the rear part of the vehicle.
The windows in the front are also tainted and the driver could get away with harassment. The traffic police warned that cases could be registered against the public transporters if the ban was violated.
Last month, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had announced the formation of district protection committees (DPC) for swift implementation of harassment law across the province, according to APP. These committees would be headed by a woman Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) to resolve disputes related to domestic violence or harassment at workplaces.
In January last year, the provincial assembly had passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (Amendment) Bill, 2020, targeting the incidents of workplace harassment.
In case, parties did not agree to the proposed solutions, the case would be referred to District Sessions Judge or Additional District Sessions Judge to decide it within two months. And if any party did not agree with the court’s judgment then appeals against such decisions could be filed in the Peshawar High Court (PHC).
Under the new act, up to five years of prison time and a penalty or both could be handed. The court can also pass an interim order in such cases. One-year imprisonment and up to Rs0.3 million fine could be handed in case of violation of the court orders.
