Govt forms commission to probe Tayyaba Gul's allegations against former NAB chief

• Commission made under Section 3 of Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act, 2017.
• Commission to inquire into the allegations of sexual offences including harassment, assault [...] and abuse of authority.
• Commission to probe allegations of sexual offences against former NAB chief Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Saturday constituted an inquiry commission to probe the sexual harassments allegations made by Tayyaba Gul against former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chief Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal and others.

The notification issued said that the commission should inquire into the allegations of sexual offences including harassment, assault, outraging and insulting modesty, misdemeanour, misconduct, misuse and abuse of authority levelled by the complainant against the persons complained against.

The commission shall conduct the inquiry and perform its functions in accordance with the following Terms of Reference (TORS), namely:

To determine violation, if any, of the integrity of the process of administration of justice, security of person, right to a fair trial, absolute inviolability of dignity of person and equality of citizen.

To determine, after inquiry, as to whether criminal liability, if any, is incurred by any or all persons complained against or any other person or public office holders, by any offences so defined In the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (Act).

To inquire into allegations that Gul was prompted to provide video/audio material by some officials and the same was later on leaked to a private TV channel for ulterior motive and design.

To determine, after inquiry, as to whether disciplinary proceedings, if any, are attracted by some persons complained against or any other person, by any of their act.

To fix the responsibility on any person or public office holder, aiding or abetting by any act in the Commission of any offence(s) or in violation of laws, if any, so determined.

To make clear and specific recommendations in the light of the findings of the inquiry to take any necessary legal action, by any agency, department or any other person.

Woman claims Javed Iqbal threatened to ‘destroy her life in a minute’

Earlier this month, Gul — the woman who was allegedly a part of the 2021 video leak controversy involving ex-chairman NAB Javed Iqbal — revealed that the former watchdog head threatened her with "dire consequences".

“Javed Iqbal would tell me that he will destroy my life within a minute,” Gul revealed to the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) where the former NAB chairman did not appear despite being summoned.

Gul lamented that a false reference was filed against her and her version was not recorded. “I met Iqbal during a meeting regarding missing persons,” he said, adding that when she asked him not to call her repeatedly, “he got angry.”

“My number was written on the request filed for the missing person, and he [Iqbal] kept calling me time and again,” she said, recalling that Iqbal used to tell her that if she doesn’t respond, no meeting would be held.

Commenting on her intention behind making the video, she said: “I recorded Iqbal because he was a very powerful official and I wanted to expose him.”

Gul added that Iqbal warned her that he would “ruin her life within a minute” if he sees her in any of his offices.

“My husband and I were arrested under the direction of the former chairman of NAB. I was arrested by male officers and cannot even share the barbarity that I endured during the car ride,” she narrated.

She went on to say that she was transported to Lahore without a transit remand. 

“When I was presented before Director-General Lahore NAB Saleem Shehzad, my clothes were all torn and my body had several bruises,” she said, adding that during the search, on the directions of Shehzad, her clothes were taken off.

Gul said Iqbal’s personal staff officer Rashid Wani, from the missing person commission, was his facilitator. “Neither I could file First Information Report (FIR) nor did any court listen to my plea,” she said.