Harassed in PAK's President House, PoK official accuses senior officer of misconduct

Former Chairperson Commission on status of women in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Maria Iqbal Tarana has accused a senior PAK official of harassing her in the President House in Pakistan. Tarana, in a tweet on Monday, said that she was attending a financial expo in Pakistan, an event which was attended by dignitaries including State Bank of Pakistan's Governor Reza Baqir and Minister of Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

Tarana released a video, explaining her ordeal. In the video, she said during a speech at the event, an unknown person was getting "extremely close" while trying to ask her something. She objected to his behavior and after the speech was over, Tarana confronted the man.

Tarana, a Cambridge graduate, goes on the say that the man who was making her uncomfortable was actually a protocol officer and identified himself as Afaaq Ahmed. He allegedly heckled at her and even asked her to leave on the grounds as he believed that Tarana had sneaked her way in. The officer allegedly called Tarana a liar and the only reason she was allowed to sit was that the seats were empty.

Harassed in President House

"Today I was harassed in the President House Pakistan. I was invited for an event where after refusing the uncomfortable physical proximity of a responsible, I was told that I did not belong there," Tarana said in a tweet.

In a follow-up tweet, Tarana accused a protocol officer named Afaaq Ahmed, who had allegedly harassed her. She even urged the authorities to take action and investigate the matter.

"If I do not let you stand extremely close to me, doesn't mean I don't have a standing! The person in question was Afaaq Ahmed Protocol officer, the matter needs to be investigated and the responsible be punished," Tarana wrote.

Tarana further questioned that "if men working on majestic position in eminent offices of Pakistan doesn't know how to talk to a woman then who knows?"