Observer Report
London
A report published by the UK House of Lords revealed that a conduct committee recommended Lord Nazir Ahmed be expelled after an inquiry into his sexual misconduct.
The committee report came a day after Nazir tweeted that he has stepped down from his role in the upper house after 21 years of service.
British media sources revealed that Lord Nazir Ahmed retired from parliament only after seeing a conduct report recommending him to be expelled for sexually exploiting a vulnerable woman.
According to the Lords’ conduct committee, the accused emotionally and sexually exploited Tahira Zaman, who came to him for help in 2017.
The foreword to the report on the UK parliament website read, “… Lord Ahmed breached the Code of Conduct by failing to act on his personal honour in the discharge of his parliamentary activities by agreeing to use his position as a member of the House to help a member of the public but then; sexually assaulting the complainant, lying to the complainant about his intentions to help her with a complaint to the Metropolitan Police regarding exploitation by a faith healer, exploiting the complainant emotionally and sexually despite knowing she was vulnerable.”
Lord Ahmed rejected the allegations put forth against him in the report and vowed to appeal against the decision. Meanwhile, Zaman said she was “elated and relieved” at the report’s findings.
The 43-year-old Zaman approached Lord Ahmed three years ago hoping that he would help her start a police investigation against a Muslim spiritual healer who she believed was exploiting women, British media reported.
Reports added that, the two met at a restaurant in east London in February 2017 to discuss the case, where the accused touched the complainant inappropriately on her thigh.
Zaman says she was shocked by his behaviour and broke off contact.
However, encouraged by a friend, Zaman messaged Lord Ahmed on 14 July that year to ask if he had received a reply from the police.
He said he had and they arranged to meet at his house in east London to discuss it.
Following the meeting, both had a consensual sexual relationship. However, she said: “I was looking for help and he took advantage of me. He abused his power.”
On the balance of probabilities, the Commissioner for Standards’ investigation, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, found that Lord Ahmed had sexually assaulted her.
She added, “I find that it is more likely than not that Ms Zaman went to Lord Ahmed’s house at his invitation to discuss the offer made by the police to meet her.
