Lahore Accountability Court-I order: ICT, Punjab IGP told to probe Tayaba Gull’s allegations

ISLAMABAD: High-level inquiry has been ordered into the allegations of Tayaba Gull against former NAB chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal and others.

Inspector General Police of Islamabad Capital Territory and Punjab have been directed by the Accountability Court-I, Lahore to complete the inquiry within a fortnight.

In a recent order, dated March 16, judge Rao Abdul Jabbar Khan of the Accountability Court-I, Lahore said that before passing any order of admitting or dismissal of the complaint, he is persuaded to get the matter inquired by some police

officer as provided in Section 202 of CrPC to reach a just conclusion of the case and to know the truth or falsehood of the complaint. “So, I direct the Inspector General Police of Punjab and the Inspector General Police of Islamabad to inquire and investigate the matter,” the court order said, adding that the view of the present NAB chairman should also be obtained besides consulting the Attorney General for his assistance as per the law.

The court also directed that the inquiry report should be completed and submitted before the court within a fortnight. The Inspector Generals have also been told to provide equal opportunity to both sides- the complainant and the accused- for their stance and to provide evidence as per the law.

Meanwhile, the NAB is also directed to submit its reply to Tayaba Gull’s complaint regarding its maintainability, limitation and consolidation. Gull has accused former NAB chairman Javed Iqbal and others of having committed, in connivance with one another, heinous offences of immorality, harassment and misuse of authority. “Due to all these illegal and mala fide acts, the accused persons are liable to be proceeded against under all the relevant provisions of law to meet the ends of justice and they are liable to be convicted and sentenced with exemplary punishment,” the complainant alleged.

She said that an illegal reference against her and her husband was filed at the instigation of the former NAB chairman to fulfil his immoral demands by arm-twisting of the complainant and her husband.

She maintained that after her acquittal by Accountability Court, he filed an application before the NAB chairman on Feb 18, 2022, against all the illegal and mala fide acts but he did not take any action against the accused to initiate departmental inquiry against the culprits for filing fake, planted, bogus reference and investigation commission of heinous acts of harassment, physical torture and making of nude videos of the complainant by several accused named in the complaint.

She also said that more than 40 FIRs were registered against her and her spouse at different locations at the behest of some of the accused. However, all the FIRs were discharged on merit after investigations and trials.

Last year, Tayaba Gull appeared before the Public Accounts Committee and alleged how she was harassed and videotaped, stripped naked in the NAB office after arrest, and how its former head had threatened her and said he could destroy her life within a minute.

On May 23, 2019, a private news channel, aired an allegedly objectionable video of the NAB chairman with Tayaba Gull.

Later, the NAB issued a statement rejecting the report and saying that all such reports were baseless, contrary to facts, fabricated and part of false propaganda. The NAB added, “This is the work of a group of blackmailers, who want to tarnish the reputation of NAB and its chairman. Disregarding all the pressure and blackmailing, NAB has not only arrested two members of the group but also approved a reference against them.”