Pakistani woman bureaucrat transferred four times in 36 days

Farida Tareen, a woman bureaucrat in Pakistan’s Balochistan was transferred four times within 36 days. This year alone, Tareen was posted at four different positions from February 11 to March 16.

She was first appointed as Assistant Commissioner Quetta on February 11. Her appointment was cancelled on the very next day, and on February 16, she was posted as Section Officer Three in the administration department.

On February 25, she was posted as Section Officer One in the Services and General Administration Department. Thereafter, on March 16 she was appointed as Section Officer Commerce and Industries.

Balochistan government’s spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani dismissed all notions of discrimination against the woman officer and said transfers are a “part of the job”.

Although the government’s spokesperson denied the case of discrimination against the officer, widespread evidence shows how women in Pakistan continue to face a host of problems in everyday life.

“Pakistan was ranked by the Global Gender Gap Index 2018 as the sixth most dangerous country in the world for women and the second-worst in the world (ranked 148th) in terms of gender equality,” said Pakistani human rights activist Anila Gulzar in an article titled ‘Life of women in Pakistan and China’.

Women in Pakistan also face sexual harassment at the workplace, on the street and in the family by male family members, said Gulzar.