Sexual misconduct by atop diplomat in Spain continues to haunt Pakistan
A month after the frantic recalling of its tainted Consulate General Mirza Salman Baig from the Spanish city of Barcelona, Pakistan is having a hard time in getting past the case of sexual harassment. The issue which started witha complaint by a local female staffer and led to an internal enquiry by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not settled down and may lead to further revelations. Pakistan’s attempts to bury the case through its docile inquiries and a quiet recall recently received a setback in the form of a legal notice through which the victim, Amna Umer has sought to make the Mission a party along with the main culprit, Baig.
The Pak mission has reportedly received the summon from the Spanish authorities over the sexual harassment at the work place faced by the local hire, continuously for more than three months. The Spanish department has sought response from the mission as it cannot escape its responsibility for providing a safe and healthy work environment for the workers. Seeking meaningful justice, the victim has also filed a criminal case in a local court. Feeling cornered, the Pak officials are now learnt to be hiring a local lawyer.
According to Amna’s complaint, Baig used to harass her by sending lewd messages through social media. She was also subjected to a sexual assault attempt by Baig in a hotel in Barcelona. According to media reports, her ordeal continued from April to June, 2022 which compelled her to lodge a formal complaint on June 15 with the Spanish Justice Department, which forwarded the complaint to Pakistani Embassy in Madrid. The Pakistani authorities conducted an investigation and sent the errant diplomat home. Baig, however, denied the charges claiming that he wanted to sack the complainant, which was why she turned against him.
Baig has just joined an expanding list of notorious Pak diplomats who have damaged their country’s image. Earlier, Pakistan’s Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment in May 2022 dismissed the former head of mission of the Pak embassy in Italy after allegations of harassment were proved against him. Nadeem Riaz, former ambassador in Italy, was accused by Saira Imdad Ali, an officer of the Ministry of Commerce, of harassment at the workplace. Ali was stationed at the Pakistani mission in Italy headed by Riaz in 2018. She had levelled a number of allegations, including sexual harassment. The ombudsperson sacked Nadeem and imposed a fine of PKRs 5 million, which would be paid to the complainant as compensation.
Similarly in May 2020, a Pakistan Foreign Service Officer Waqar Ahmad, working as First Secretary in Kiev, Ukraine was removed from service after charges of sexual harassment by a local Ukrainian employee. The accused was charged with “conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman and conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline” according to a notification issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
While the Pakistan government is going extra mile to somehow portray a modern, progressive and moral image of its citizens worldwide, the main actors responsible for this exercise are increasingly found abusing their authority. These pervert diplomats not only waste the efforts of their government but also make the life of Pak citizens living abroad difficult by creating a negative image.
