IHC extends suspension of PAC’s recommendation in Tayyaba Gul case

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday extended the order of suspension of the recommendation to remove former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal as Missing Persons Commission head until September 13, 2022, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

Acting chief justice of the IHC Justice Aamer Farooq, who heard the petition filed by former NAB chairman and NAB, Lahore director general (DG) Saleem Shehzad against the summons issued to them by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly (NA) in Tayyaba Gul sexual harassment case, ordered parties to the case to give their arguments on the next date of hearing of the case. 

Deputy Attorney General, on the occasion, said that a commission had already been set up to inquire into harassment charges by the woman.

The judge remarked that the petitioners had challenged the summons issued by the PAC. “And if the NA committee has stopped hearing the case then this petition is of no use,” he added.

Intervening on the occasion, Shoaib, Shaheen, counsel for NAB, Lahore DG, told the court that the committee had not finished its assignment as yet as it had again summoned his client as well as former NAB chief. “The fact is that the NA body does all types of work, except looking after the accounts,” he taunted. 

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had, on August 2, 2022, suspended a recommendation by the PAC to remove the former chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (r) Javed Iqbal as the head of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.

The NAB ex-chairman had challenged the decision of the PAC, and on his behalf, Shoaib Shaheen Advocate appeared before the court.

Tayyaba had accused the bureau’s ex-chairman of sexually harassing her. 

The PAC took notice of it and asked her to record her statement at the committee meeting.

Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani