Never met Tayyaba Gul, says ex-PS to Imran

ISLAMABAD: Former principal secretary to prime minister Azam Khan appeared before the Public Accounts Committee Tuesday and denied the allegations levelled by Tayyaba Gul against him. He told the committee that she was never kept at the Prime Minister’s House for one month.

The Public Accounts Committee sought entry and exit records from the Prime Minister’s House and office in the Tayyaba Gul case. The PAC also recommended removal of Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal from chairmanship of the Missing Persons Commission.

The Public Accounts Committee met Tuesday with Chairman Noor Alam Khan in the chair. At the outset of the meeting, Chairman Noor Alam said that Azam Khan was summoned twice or thrice but he didn’t turn up. He said that Tayyaba Gul had alleged that Azam Khan and Tahir Khan had met her. “You have been on a high position in Pakistan and you met Tayyaba Gul in Blue Area at Tahir Khan’s office. She also said that she was kept in the Prime Minister’s House for one month,” he said.

Azam Khan said that he was in Mardan and had changed his phone number. “I received a letter from the establishment Monday and came to the meeting Tuesday,” he said.

He denied Tayyaba Gul’s allegations and said that he had never met this woman nor had ever been to media owner Tahir Khan’s office. “It is not possible that someone stays in the PM House for a month and does not have a record. You can check with the record of the PM House and I do not remember that the woman had ever come to the Prime Minister’s House,” he said.

PAC Noor Alam Khan said that Tayyaba Gul had the video of the hotel. Azam Khan said that record of the PM House and office should be ordered. PAC member Sheikh Rohail Asghar said if the Prime Minister’s House did not want anybody to know about visitors, no one would know.

“The video of the girl in a government department went viral in the PTI tenure and you know that Tayyaba Gul’s entry will no longer be found in the record of the PM House,” he said. Azam Khan replied that even the PM’s secretary did not have the authority to call anyone and if the PM secretariat called someone, it asked the security department.

PAC member Barjees Tahir said that it was not possible that a woman was in detention for a month in the PM Secretariat and the principal secretary did not know about it. “Farah Gogi has also been living in the PM House, is there any record of her… don’t take this matter so simple,” he said.

He said the cases against the former prime minister had been closed through the ex-NAB chairman while 40 FIRs were registered against Tayyaba Gul. He said Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal should be called and removed from chairmanship of the Missing Persons’ Commission.

Noor Alam while addressing Azam Khan said: “You may not know but the woman had met the former prime minister.” PAC member Senator Mushahid Husain Sayed said Azam Khan had appeared before the committee and submitted his answer.

He said former NAB chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal was appointed after consultation between the prime minister and opposition leader. “Everyone is involved in this sin and if there are appointments on merit, things will go well,” he said.

The committee also asked for a report on the performance of Javed Iqbal as chairman of the Missing Persons Commission. Noor Alam Khan said that he was following up the inquiry and Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal would be summoned to the PAC.

Noor Alam Khan said that he had written a letter to the prime minister to remove Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal from chairmanship of the Missing Persons Commission. He also said the NAB chairman should ensure that no officer tried to harass Tayyaba Gul.