LAHORE: Taking notice of a media report about alleged harassment of women employees at Janki Devi Hospital here, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chairman on Monday ordered an inquiry into the allegations against some officials, including the medical superintendent of the infirmary.

`We have examined the issue reported by the media and reached a consensus that it must be probed. Therefore, I have assigned this task to the ETPB secretary to summon the complainants and all those facing such serious allegations.

The secretary will hear all, constitute a committee, get an inquiry conducted and report to me within next seven days,` board chairman Dr Habibur Rehman Gilani told Dawn on Monday.

Mr Gilani said he had asked the secretary to probe into the matter in depth and take action against the officials if found guilty of harassing the women staffers. `However, if it is proved that the allegations are not based on facts, action will be taken against the complainants, as there will be no injustice to anyone,` he warned.

The ETPB administration had earlier removed two women work-charge employees (a nurse and an attendant/aya) and a regular staffer (nurse) after they lodged complaints with the higher authorities that they were being harassed at the hospital.

The complainants have filed applications separately to the federal government, ETPB top officials, Lahore commissioner and others.

They had told Dawn on Sunday that various officials of the hospital had been harassing them continuously since long, making environment of a maternity hospital unsafe for the employees, especially the women.

They regretted that instead of probing into the allegations, the ETPB administration dismissed them from service unlawfully.