Pakistan’s Parliament forms panel to investigate sexual harassment allegations against Imran Khan
PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ordered security protection for Ayesha Gulalai, who had made the accusations against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf chairman.
Pakistan’s National Assembly on Friday passed a resolution to form a special committee to investigate sexual harassment charges against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan, Dawn reported. Ayesha Gulalai, a member of the Assembly, had quit on August 1 accusing Khan and other top leaders of ill-treating and disrespecting them.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called for the special committee shortly after he was sworn in as the new prime minister of the country. The National Assembly directed the committee to submit its report in a month.
“We respect the person who has made the accusation but we also respect the accused, and it is their right to be able to contest these allegations,” Abbasi said in Parliament. He also ordered security for Gulalai after she claimed that there was threat to her life.
The allegations
Gulalai had said that women in the party were sent obscene texts messages and that her complaints about the harassment had gone unheard. “I cannot compromise when it comes to my honour and dignity,” she had said, while resigning. She also claimed Khan “gets jealous of [those] who are better than him.”