Bank of Khyber suspends HR head over harassment complaint

PESHAWAR: The Bank of Khyber has suspended its Group Head Human Resource Division (HRD), Muhammad Asif, for 30 days after a harassment complaint filed by a female employee led to the initiation of a formal inquiry, according to documents obtained by ABN News.

The documents include a charge sheet and statement of allegations issued by the bank’s harassment committee, which has launched an investigation into multiple accusations against the senior official.

According to the complaint, Muhammad Asif faces allegations of mental, verbal, physical and cyber harassment. The allegations also include claims of threatening the complainant and her family, blackmail, misuse of authority, abuse of position and attempts to influence the complainant’s performance evaluation.

The documents further state that the complainant has accused the official of pressuring her to leave a hostel, compelling her to stay outside the hostel for extended periods and exploiting her through a purported marriage arrangement before later refusing to acknowledge it.

Additional allegations include threatening to make personal videos public, concealing facts regarding marital status, violating the bank’s code of conduct and causing reputational damage to the institution.

The harassment committee has directed Muhammad Asif to submit a written response to the allegations and appear before the committee in person. The documents indicate that unilateral action may be taken if no response is received within the stipulated time.

Separately, a suspension order issued by the bank directs the official to remain available at the Managing Director’s Secretariat during the suspension period and to surrender all office assets, including his official laptop.

The order states that the suspension period may be extended if deemed necessary by the competent authority.

The Bank of Khyber’s harassment committee is currently investigating the matter. No final findings have been issued, and the allegations remain under inquiry.