Rights body seeks Munir Akram’s removal as Pakistan’s ambassador to UN

KARACHI: A leading women’s rights organisation has sought the removal of Munir Akram as Pakistan's ambassador to the United Nations, calling his re-appointment “illegal, unlawful and void-ab-initio”.

The petition in the Sindh High Court, filed by the Women's Action Forum (WAF) on Thursday, follows outrage by women's rights bodies over Akram's re-appointment last month as Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN. 

Akram had previously served on the same post from 2002 to 2008. But the US asked Pakistan to waive Akram’s diplomatic immunity in 2003 so he could be prosecuted on assault charges after allegations that he had beaten a woman on Dec. 10, 2002.

In its petition on Thursday, WAF said Akram's appointment by the government and the ministry of foreign affairs  was “illegal, unlawful and void-ab-initio”. The petition called upon the court to restrain Akram “from performing functions of the Ambassador / Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations”.

The women’s rights body noted that, according to Pakistani law, a retired civil servant cannot be re-hired by the federal government unless the grounds for the re-employment are concerned with the public interest.

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The organisation lashed out at the government and the ministry of foreign affairs for whimsically and capriciously making appointments of civil servants.

The petition also mentioned the allegations of domestic abuse against the diplomat that had made headlines around the globe. Citing reports from international media, WAF said Akram was involved in assaulting a woman in an incident of domestic violence.

“It was also reported that the gravity of the actions of Respondent No. 3 [Munir Akram] produced an official request by the State Department of the United States of America to Pakistan to withdraw the diplomatic immunity enjoyed as a diplomat by Respondent No. 3 [Munir Akram] so that he could be proceeded against under American law,” it noted.

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“In light of the accusation of domestic violence, it is requested of the Honorable Court, to reflect on the impression this creates in the global environment, and also the impression made of the standards of behaviour reflective of official representatives,” read the petition.

WAF’s petition called upon the court to direct Munir Akram to show on what authority he claims to hold the office of the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations.

The women’s rights organisation urged the high court to declare that Akram’s appointment letter was illegal and was issued without lawful authority. WAF requested the court to ‘permanently restrain’ Akram as the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN.