ISLAMABAD ;. (July 11,2022) .Former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman and chief of Missing Persons Commission (MPC) , justice (R) Javed Iqbal, has shrugged off the Public Account Committee (PAC) by simply ignoring its summon to appear before it in sexual harassment case .
PAC had summoned justice (R) Javed Iqbal to appear before it in its meeting held last week to defend allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by Tayyaba Gul , a lady whose husband was facing a corruption case of NAB.
Javed Iqbal in reply to PAC notice has simply conveyed to the PAC that he was busy in some other activities and can not appear before it in the case in question
Javed Iqbal is a retired judge and in this capacity he probably does not think it necessary to appear before any forum including PAC for questioning .
Javed Iqbal is facing serious allegations of sexual harassment in official position. Not only as NAB chairman, but also as chief of MPC.
His denial to appear before PAC is like considering himself over and above the law.
Javed Iqbal had exhibited the same behaviour more than once when as NAB chairman he was summoned by PAC or any standing committee of the parliament .
Javed Iqbal,”s errant behaviour put a question mark on the authority of the rule of law in Pakistan.
If a judge considers himself superior to the law , how come the legal and constitutional system can woke and the judicial system could win trust of a common Pakistani?.
The lady.complanant had appeared before PAC in its last week meeting to narrate her ordeal and tall the committee how she was allegedly exploited by Javed Iqbal in NAB office in Islamabad to abuse sexually to give favour in her husband’s under trial case.
Tayyaba Gull’s horrifying tale of alleged exploitation by Javed Iqbal by utterly misusing his power is mockery of entire system of Pakistan . It shows how easy it is for any public office holder to exploit any one particularly women as go Scot free after the crime.
While taking the case of retired judge of Javed Iqbal , PAC must take a view of a case of a US federal lady judge who was dragged out of her court during working hours by the US law enforcing agencies on allegations of giving some monitory benefit as a judge to her husband. This is a level of system in the countries where judicial system is trusted not only by the people of of that particular country, but also of the entire world trust it .
The characters like Javed Iqbal are a slur on Pakistani society . He should .not be spared at all as the case under question is far , far serious than that committed by the US lady judge who was taken into custody from her court and dragged out for her misconduct .
Javed Iqbal is facing sexual harassment case . The complainant is double victim. First , she was harassed by alleged morally corrupt.froner NAB chairman and now chief of MPC and second by the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) rulers.
PAC is the highest forum where every public office holder is required to submit and appear whenever he or she is summoned . There should be no excuse for Javed Iqbal in sexual harassment case . He should be made to appear before the committee and face the members who as per law should quiz him to reach to the bottom of the matter and recommend punishment no matter that accused holds or used to hold any authoritative position in Pakistan..
PAC should ensure that in Tayyaba Gul case, justice is not only done , but should be seen to be done.
