The Sindh High Court (SHC) has temporarily stopped the removal of Moonis Alvi, the CEO of K-Electric, in a harassment case. The suspension came after Alvi challenged a decision by the provincial ombudsman.
A female employee had filed a harassment complaint, which led the ombudsman to order Alvi’s removal. However, during Friday’s hearing, the SHC decided to grant interim relief and agreed to hear the appeal.
The court directed Moonis Alvi to deposit a fine of Rs2.5 million. Notices were also issued to the ombudsman, the complainant, and other parties. The court asked them to respond by August 8, the date of the next hearing.
Alvi’s legal team argued that the provincial ombudsman does not have the authority to make such a ruling. They stated that K-Electric operates across multiple provinces, including Sindh and Balochistan. As a result, they claimed that only the federal ombudsman has jurisdiction over the matter.
The lawyer further said that Moonis Alvi leads a company that supplies electricity to Karachi, Lasbela, Hub, and Winder. He added that federal law, not provincial law, should apply in this case.
The court questioned the jurisdiction issue and asked for clarification on how the case falls under the federal ombudsman. It said the matter would be reviewed further once all parties have submitted their replies.
Until then, the court has put a hold on the ombudsman’s decision to remove Alvi.
This case has drawn attention due to the senior position held by Moonis Alvi and the legal debate over federal versus provincial authority in harassment cases.
Also Read: Harassment Complaints See a 375% Increase
