Former head of Women Commission of Pakistan Azad Kashmir and executive director of Youth Forum for Kashmir Maria Iqbal Tarana has alleged that she was harassed by a protocol officer at a function held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr yesterday.
Maria Iqbal Tarana has released a video message on Twitter in which she said that she was invited to a function at the Presidency yesterday where President Alvi, Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Governor SBP Raza Baqir Sahib were present. Before we were sitting on the seat and there was silence in the hall, I felt from behind as if someone had come along and started whispering in my ear and asking something, at first it was very strange to me that this All of a sudden who was trying to come so close and talk, I didn't understand what he was talking about, I told him to keep a little distance, he asked something again and I understood that he was saying that What is your organization? I told you to check the list and then tell me where I belong. I told them two or three times to make your inquiry and please step back. When it was over, I started going out with two or three of my colleagues. The man was there. I asked him what he was trying to talk about. He said something. Instead of doing so, he immediately went on to say that no one knew him here. He entered here lying and sat in the Presidency.
Maria Iqbal said that I said that I have gone through four protocols, how can it be that no one knows me and I should sit in the Presidency, how are you talking, he suddenly said that You are a liar, there were empty seats here so we allowed you to sit, I was surprised, I asked people from there who this person is, where should I complain, he is being very rude, this Came forward and introduced himself that my name is Afaq Ahmed and I am a protocol officer, you get out of here. Maria Iqbal Tarana has called it harassment and demanded to investigate the matter. At the end of his video message, he said that if the officer of Pakistan's largest institution does not know how to deal with women, then what can we expect from the rest.
If men working on majestic position in eminent offices of Pakistan doesn't know how to talk to a woman then who knows ? pic.twitter.com/gefJ7Zb7ld
— Maria Iqbal Tarana (@mariaItarana) November 9, 2020
