Pakistan, Oct. 22 -- Pakistan's recent legal victory should have thrilled every working mother. However, it feels like one step forward, two steps back. The Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment (FOSPAH) ruled that firing a woman on approved maternity leave was clear gender discrimination in a case involving a private IT company. The firm was fined Rs1 million and ordered to pay Rs800,000 in damages. In her verdict, the Ombudsperson invoked the Constitution's guarantees of equality, dignity, and "protection of motherhood," reinstating the employee. It was a rare moment of justice, and a reminder that safe motherhood is a right, not a favour.

Pakistan's labour laws, and even Article 37 of the Constitution, already promise...