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Thursday March 28, 2024

Chief Minister’s adviser accused of harassing woman

By Arshad Aziz Malik
January 12, 2021

PESHAWAR: A lady from Kohat has leveled serious allegations of sexual harassment against Advisor to the Chief Minister Ziaullah Bangash. In a video that went viral on social media, the woman appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the harassment. The woman has also hinted at leaving Kohat due to intense pressure from the Advisor to CM.

However, the Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information Technology and Member Provincial Assembly from Kohat Ziaullah Bangash has denied the allegations of the woman and termed them as lies. Ziaullah Bangash has sent a legal notice to the woman on the release of the video. In the video, a woman named Rahatul Ain has leveled serious allegations against Ziaullah Bangash which cannot be written.

According to an official report submitted to the provincial government a copy of which is available with this scribe said Rahat ul Ain wife of Muhammad Ishafaq residence of Hayat Shaheed Colony, Muhammad Riaz Shaheed, Kohat has alleged in her video that Ziaullah Bangash MPA Kohat was harassing her and that one Ubaid (owner of rental car center, Kohat) was not returning her amount (Rs4, 40,000) to her which she has given him for business.

The report further revealed that the lady was working with Ziaullah Bangash in an NGO about ten years ago and both of them had relations, but after electing as MPA in 2013, Ziaullah Bangash avoided the lady.

Ziaullah Bangash also promised to give her a government job but the lady could not get any job. Since then the lady is active against Ziaullah Bangash on Social Media. It has been reported that Ziaullah Bangash has neither entered into a marriage contract with her nor kept any relation with the lady since the 2013 elections. Ziaullah Bangash has also kept mum over the statements of ladies on Social Media.

Moreover, the lady has also a money dispute with Ubaid (rent a car owner) and she has made a report to that effect in the local police station where an agreement has been made by the rent a car owner to return her money. However, the harassment allegation could not be verified during an initial inquiry.

Ziaullah Bangash, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Information Technology, has sent a legal notice to the woman on January 11, 2021, in which it is said that he belongs to a noble and respectable family.

The notice issued by the lawyer further said that Ziaullah Bangash does not even know the woman and has not had any relationship with her. The woman also posted a video on social media during the 2018 election which brought disgrace to my client, while in the inquiry of DPO Kohat also my client was proved innocent.

You once again uploaded a baseless video on January 9, which severely damaged my client’s reputation. My client doesn’t even know Obaid and has nothing to do with him.

Your sole purpose was to discredit my client in society and to damage my client’s reputation. This act of yours brought disgrace to my client and he suffered severe mental anguish and distress. Therefore, you are informed by this notice that you should pay 50 million as defamation to my client within seven days and deny your allegations by apologizing in writing as well as in a video message from your social media account. Otherwise, a claim will be filed against you in the court of law.