KARACHI: After seeking two adjournments and delaying the hearing of the sexual harassment case against its CEO Moonis Alvi for more than a month, the K-Electric’s lawyer finally appeared before the Sindh Ombudsman on Thursday to cross examine the victim.
A counsel K-Electric’s Chief Executive Officer Moonis Alvi conducted cross examination of the evidence provided by the victim, Mehreen Aziz Khan, in the sexual harassment case which she filed against Alvi.
Mehreen Khan’s lawyer Muhammad Ali Atta Malik said that the evidence, including voice recordings, WhatsApp messages and other documents had been submitted before the ombudsman two dates earlier, but the K-Electric team was delaying the case through adjournments.
Malik said the cross examination would resume in the next hearing scheduled for May 26, 2022.
K-Electric Limited has four lawyers to defend Moonis Alvi who has been accused by Mehreen Aziz Khan, a former employee, of sexual harassment.
In October 2019, K-Electric appointed Mehreen Khan as a consultant to work on a four-point agenda, i.e., covering gap analysis, crisis communications and media training and workshops of employees and K-Electric senior management.
The appointment was for a period of 35 business days. Later, Mehreen was appointed as a full-time employee on contract basis as the chief marketing and communication officer.
However, her services were terminated in November, 2020 after she filed a complaint before Rizwan Dhalia, alleging that in the first week of her employment with the K-Electric, Moonis Alvi called her alone to discuss something. She complained that Moonis Alvi asked her to accompany him either for coffee or dinner and that he would pick her up from her residence.
Moonis Alvi also passed lewd remarks and commented on her figure as: “Oh you’ve lost weight from your tummy and kept your shape (feminine curves) how did you do that.”
In the complaint, Mehreen Khan mentioned details of the harassment, intimidation, comments and treatment allegedly being meted out to her in the office.
To further substantiate her allegation, she provided audio recording saved in a mobile phone memory card, between her and Moonis Alvi in the office of the CEO.
Since Rizwan Dhalia, Chief Security Officer Col Wahid Asghar (Retd) and one board member took no action, instead advising Mehreen Khan to play along, she approached the Sindh Ombudsman.
However, K-Electric approached the Sindh High Court and obtained a stay against the petition filed by Mehreen Khan before the provincial ombudsman. The stay was later vacated.
According to the K-Electric’s Code of Conduct for Board of Directors and employees, “K-Electric requires its board members and all employees, including executive level and subordinate level employees to observe the highest level of ethical standards and integrity in the conduct of its business activities.”
An official at the K-Electric said the allegations were baseless and expressed the hope that the ombudsman would decide the case on merit and in favour of Moonis Alvi.
