PAC summons ex-NAB chief over harassment allegations

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee has summoned former NAB chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Thursday (today) on harassment charges. He was summoned on the complaint of a woman, Tayyaba Gul, who had written a letter to the PAC chairman, levelling harassment allegations against the former NAB chief.

The PAC meeting also discussed the allegations of Ms Amna Masood Janjua against the former NAB chairman with regard to harassment of women visiting the commission of missing persons headed by him (ex-NAB chief).

Amna Masood Janjua of Defence for Human Rights alleged in the ‘Capital Talk’ of Geo News that when the wife of a missing person appeared before the commission for missing persons, the head of the commission, Javed Iqbal, had told her: “You are so beautiful. Why do you need a husband?”

PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan said the woman in the talk show had levelled allegations against the head of a high-level commission. He said that harassment of women would not be allowed and action would be taken against anyone involved in harassment. Unfortunately, there were incidents of harassment by heads of institutions which was not acceptable in any way, he claimed.

The PAC chief also informed the committee members that the former NAB chief through a letter had expressed his inability to appear before the committee owing to Eidul Azha. He rejected the letter and directed NAB officials to immediately inform the former chairman to appear before the PAC Thursday (today). He said that NAB officials were bound to furnish details of their assets and directed the acting chairman to bring the declarations in Thursday’s meeting.