IHC blocks PAC move to have ex-NAB chief fired

DAG says matter has been moved to inquiry commission from the committee

ISLAMABAD :

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to remove former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal from the chairmanship of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CIED).

Acting IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq heard Iqbal’s plea which he had filed a day earlier.

The application had challenged the PAC’s July 7 meeting’s recommendation after receiving a complaint of sexual harassment from Tayyaba Gul against the ex-NAB chief.

In 2019, Tayyaba was involved in a leaked video clip showing alleged clandestine and illicit relations between her and Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal.

On Tuesday, Advocate Shoaib Shaheen appeared before the court on behalf of the petitioner and adopted the stance that the PAC had decided to write a letter to the premier for removing Iqbal as head of the CIED.

The counsel contended that giving such a direction did not fall within the ambit of the committee.

The court noted that the matter relating to PAC’s authority had also been raised in two other petitions.

Deputy Attorney General Arshad Kayani pointed out that the matter had been moved to the inquiry commission from the PAC.

The court said the plea would become ineffective if the proceedings of the matter were not being held in the PAC.

The IHC issued notices to the National Assembly secretary and PAC secretary, seeking a reply by August 11 and directed the committee not to take disciplinary action against Iqbal.

The CIEF was established in 2011 and Iqbal has been heading it since then.