Even something as mundane as job hunting can become a terrifying ordeal for women. A job seeker in Pakistan was subjected to sexual harassment when she applied for a trainee position at Giga Group, an Islamabad-based firm. The woman, a young graduate named Adina Hira had applied T for an entry-level trainee and office assistant position through the Indeed app.
Taking to X, Hira revealed that she received suggestive messages from the hiring manager of Giga Group. In the screenshots she shared, the recruitment manager claimed that the personal assistant was expected to “spend quality time with the boss.”
Hira lamented that being a female job seeker in Pakistan was not for the faint-hearted. “Being a girl in Pakistan is too difficult! I applied for a job on the Indeed website, which was for fresh graduates, and this is the message I received. It’s unbelievable!! Who knows how many innocent girls they must have taken advantage of? When a fresh graduate looks for a job… they either encounter disgusting people or those with wealthy parents who get in through references. This country is hell!” read her post.
She also shared a series of WhatsApp screenshots where the hiring manager named Sadam Bukhari claimed that there was only one open position at the company – the role of personal assistant. Although she would be paid Rs 45K and also be provided with accommodation and travelling allowance, she would also be expected to “cooperate” with the boss.
When Hira asked Bukhari what he meant by “cooperation,” he stated that she would have to spend “quality time,” with the boss.
Hira’s post went viral, gaining over 2.2 million views and 25K likes on X. Netizens came in droves, to offer emotional support. “Giga Group is a big name in the market. What a shame.” wrote one X user.
Another wrote, “They clearly mentioned special tasks so it better to ignore this kind of position if you’re not interested, It’s so sad to see most people prefer this kind of job because they don’t want to do anything else… Good to see you are speaking about this.”
Another user requested her to bring up the matter on Linkedin so that others could be aware of how the firm was exploiting young hopefuls.
Later Hira revealed that the firm had reached out to her and claimed that Bukhari was not one of their employees and that they had initiated legal action against him.
The Giga Group of Companies addressed the issue on LinkedIn, clarifying that the advertisement was fake and that the individual had no association with Giga Group. “A post is being circulated on different social media platforms regarding a fake advertisement where a person has shared a fake job post on an irrelevant job website representing himself as a Giga Group representative and trying to harass a girl. The person is not associated with Giga Group and we have already initiated legal action through FIA against him. The only authentic platforms for job opportunities in Giga Group are our official website and social media platforms…” read the post.
As per her LinkedIn profile, Hira is an alumna of Quaid-E-Azam University.
Pakistan’s Shame: Rampant Workplace Sexual Abuse
According to official reports cited by the Daily Times, over 70 percent of women in Pakistan experience harassment at their workplaces daily. This pervasive issue has led many women to abandon the idea of pursuing a career, deterred by unsafe and inadequate working conditions. Those who must work to support their families often remain silent, unable to afford losing their jobs and fearing the repercussions of reporting the harassment.