ISLAMABAD – Renowned rights activist Maria Iqbal Tarana has accused an senior government official of harassing her when she was visiting President House for an event.
The alleged victim, who is founder of an organization Aam Taleem that works for education, shared her ordeal in a series of tweets.
Tarana revealed that she was invited for an event at the President House “where after refusing the uncomfortable physical proximity of a responsible, I was told that I did not belong there”.
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. @ArifAlvi @dcislamabad @ICT_Police @ncswpk @HamidMirPAK @ImranKhanPTI
— Maria Iqbal Tarana (@mariaItarana) November 9, 2020
Demanding an investigation into the matter, she also named the alleged harasser.
“The person in question was Afaaq Ahmed, Chief Protocol Officer, the matter needs to be investigated and the responsible be punished,” she wrote.
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.— Maria Iqbal Tarana (@mariaItarana) November 9, 2020
If people performing duties in key offices do not have etiquette to talk to the teacher then who will care about it, she said.
https://twitter.com/mariaItarana/status/1325887763435171851
“If men working on majestic position in eminent offices of Pakistan doesn’t know how to talk to a woman then who knows ?” Trana, who is former Chairperson Commission on status of women Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Youth Forum for Kashmir & People’s commission for Minority rights.
