The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday said it had sent a recommendation to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif for the removal of former judge (retd) Javed Iqbal from the post of chairman of the Commission of Inquiry in the wake of his forcible disappearance.
The Commission of Inquiry into the Enforced Disappearances was set up in 2011 and Iqbal, who until recently was also the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), has been leading it ever since.
The development follows Tayyaba Gul’s recent appearance before the committee. In 2019, Gul was involved in a leaked video clip which showed the alleged secret and illicit relationship between her and Iqbal.
When the scam came to light, Gul and her husband Mohammad Farooq were facing questioning at the NAB. Later, the NAB filed a reference against him before an accountability court in Lahore.
last month, it was informed of That he submitted an application to PAC President Noor Alam Khan, seeking an inquiry against Iqbal, NAB Lahore DG Retired Major Shahzad Saleem and other officials of the Bureau to implicate them in corruption terms.
During today’s meeting, which was skipped by the former NAB chairman, the PAC reviewed the alleged video scam involving Iqbal.
At the beginning of the meeting, Khan asked Gul if she had filed an application against the former NAB chairman, to which she replied in the affirmative.
Appearing before the PAC, Gul said that Iqbal has filed a case of Rs 2 crore against him. “I was not issued a call-up notice nor was there any inquiry,” she said.
Gul further said that the officials of NAB Lahore arrested him. Two days before this, Gul had said that she had an argument with Iqbal over the phone.
At one point the PAC president inquired about the relationship between Gul and Iqbal. “How was he in direct contact with you?” He asked.
She replied that she had met Iqbal in connection with the commission of inquiry on his forcible disappearance. She said that he “silenced” her on every stage.
“I have not been heard at any level”. Gul further said that 40 First Information Reports were filed against him, while one false reference was also filed.
She alleged that the DG of NAB Lahore nuked her and made a video of her.
My name was put on the no-fly list, he said, as cases were registered against him for stealing coal trucks.
Gul also said that Salim blackmailed Iqbal with a video made by him.
He said, “Tahir A. Khan, owner of a private news channel and Azam Khan, principal secretary to the former prime minister, took videos from me.”
The PAC president said that the committee would also listen to Iqbal even though he did not attend today’s meeting.
‘Need to remove wolves from institutions’
Talking to the media after today’s meeting, the PAC President said that the voices of many women remain unheard. He said that public officials should be prevented from abusing their authority while in office.
“We were shown several laws and told that the PAC cannot take up the matter,” he said. “Then we showed them the rules and regulations of procedure, which show that it is within our purview,” he said.
“A lot of cool people work at NAB. […] But when wolves enter an institution, they should be removed and pointed out,” Khan said, adding that Iqbal was being given a chance to appear before the committee.
If he doesn’t come again, I will issue a warrant against Javed Iqbal.
We have recommended Iqbal’s removal from office till the matter is decided, he said, adding that evidence in the form of videos and photographs also existed.
“There was a lot of pressure on me for not disclosing this matter. We will look into it as per law. Those who are guilty will be prosecuted,” he said.