ISLAMABAD, February 25,2005:Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain has suspended National Assembly Secretary Mahmood Salim Mahmood for his alleged involvement in sexual harassment of a woman last week at Heathrow Airport.

A notification in this connection was issued Thursday evening when the National Assembly session was in progress. Moments before his suspension Salim was conducting House proceedings.

The Frontier Post reliably learnt the notification was issued after the speaker received a report from Pakistan’s High Commission in London, confirming Salim’s involvement in the incident.But other sources believed the action had been taken to save Salim embarrassment for the time being.

They disclosed the speaker did it after receiving instructions from whom they called an influential person, asking him to hush up the matter.

“Salim would be reinstated to his current post after some time. No further action would be taken against him,” the sources claimed. Amir Hussain, who was in the chair initially, left the House after half an hour and also called Salim to his chamber. Within an hour of the meeting, the notification was issued.

Meanwhile, an opposition member told a group of journalists the speaker had assured them on Wednesday that he would take action against Salim within a couple of days.
He claimed it was the reason why the combined opposition, which was to raise the issue, remained silent.
Source: Frontier Post
Date:2/25/2005