National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the comments made by PTI lawmaker Muhammad Iqbal Afridi on a woman’s attire during a meeting of a National Assembly standing committee.
“A committee has been set up to investigate the comments and objections of opposition MNA Iqbal Afridi,” a statement issued by the National Assembly of Pakistan said on Saturday.
PTI’s Afridi objected to a woman’s attire during the National Assembly Standing Committee on Energy (Power Division) meeting at the Parliament House on Friday, drawing treasury members’ ire.
“The attire of a female representative from K-Electric was objectionable. Such clothing should not be worn in committee meetings,” he said. He raised the issue after the KE official had briefed the panel and left the meeting room.
“Standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be devised for women’s clothing,” the PTI MNA said and added that the committee members learn such SOPs.
Many women lawmakers had expressed concerns over Afridi’s comments.
Later, panel’s chairman Muhammad Idrees apologised over the matter. He was of the view that it was inappropriate to object to a women’s dress.
NA Speaker Sadiq expressed “strong displeasure” over the objection to the dress of a female officer in the NA panel meeting. He took notice of the indecent remarks about the attire of the lady officer of K-Electric.
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The committee has been formed to find out the facts. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar will lead the committee. Syed Naveed Qamar, Syed Aminul Haq, Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hyderi are its members.
“The fact-finding committee will be empowered to include five women members from the parliamentary parties. It will submit its report to the speaker within 15 days,” said the statement.
