Former NAB chief challenges inquiry commission's proceedings in court over harassment allegations

ISLAMABAD: Former chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Wednesday challenged the inquiry commission’s proceedings in the court over sexual harassment allegations filed against him.

Complaints against the former NAB chief were filed by Tayyaba Gul and women who approached the missing person commission back when he was heading the commission.

 Iqbal’s request for an immediate stay order to halt Lahore High Court’s inquiry has been rejected.

Earlier, the former NAB chief — as the head of the missing person commission — also challenged his summoning by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the Islamabad High Court, following which the IHC issued a stay order.

On August 1, he also challenged the PAC’s decision of limiting his position as the chairman of the missing person's commission.

The petition argued that the minutes of the PAC’s meeting on July 7 should be declared "illegal" and that the committee be restrained from taking disciplinary action.

It should be noted that the federal government, last month, issued a notification announcing the formation of an inquiry commission to investigate sexual harassment allegations levelled at the former NAB chief and others.

The commission is investigating allegations of “sexual offences including assault, harassment, outraging and insulting modesty, misdemeanour, misconduct, misuse and abuse of authority” made by the complainant against the alleged offenders.