Pakistan forms panel to probe 'harassment' charges against former NAB chief

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 24 : Pakistan government has constituted an inquiry commission to probe into the sexual offence against former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal, according to local media.
The commission comprised three members, including National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) chairperson Rabiya Javeri Agha, NCHR member (Sindh) Anis Haroon and NCHR member (Punjab) Nadeem Ashraf, Dawn newspaper reported citing a notification issued by the Cabinet Division.
Tayyaba Gull, whose controversial video with the former NAB chairman had surfaced in 2019, alleged that NAB officials stripped her naked, made videos and filed cases, when she refused to comply with Iqbal's "demands".
"I was stripped naked and videos were made," Gull was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune. Her throat felt swollen and she stuttered before adding: "I was taken to a room, cameras were installed, officials conducted frisking, stripped me naked, laughed at me and my videos were made."
A prominent human rights group in Pakistan has called for a probe into the allegations.
In a statement, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said it took "serious note of the allegations of sexual harassment" levelled against the official, who was also chairman of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIED).
"The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) takes serious note of the allegation of sexual harassment against Justice (Retired) Javed Iqbal--chairman of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIED) and former chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)--as well as other NAB officials," the HRCP said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Aftab Sultan has been appointed as the new chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
"The federal government is pleased to appoint Aftab Sultan, a retired BS-22 officer of Police Service of Pakistan, as chairman NAB after consultation between the leader of the House and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, for a non-extendable period of three years with effect from the date he assumes the charge of his office," Dawn newspaper citing a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice reported.
Sultan had retired as the IB head on April 3, 2018 after serving since June 7, 2013, as per Dawn newspaper.
He served two governments each of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) under four Prime Ministers including Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.