Kamran regrets Haq’s remarks

Sehar Kamran, principal of the Pakistan International School Jeddah's English Section (PISJ-ES), on Friday expressed dismay over a statement made by the leader of House in Senate, Raja Zafarul Haq, in which the latter said it was illegal under Pakistani law for anyone to hold two public service jobs.
“I have very high respect for Haq and I feel very sad that such a statement was made without verification of the facts. Our embassy and consulate have been misleading visiting dignitaries and involving them in their own controversies,” said Kamran in a statement to Arab News on Friday. Kamran was sacked by the Pakistani ambassador earlier this week but has refused to vacate her position.
Kamran became a member of Pakistan’s Upper House of Parliament in 2012 on a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) ticket.
In an interview with Arab News earlier this week, Haq, who is here to perform Umrah, said that Pakistani law forbids a senator from holding another public service job, adding that Kamran did not disclose she was the school’s principal when she became a senator.
“We only later heard that she was holding two public service positions,” he said.
“Let us first clarify the role of government public offices in Pakistan. These are offices where funds are being released by the Pakistani government, in essence, from the government treasury,” said Kamran.
She said that staff members of the PISJ-ES, including herself, are not government employees.
“PISJ-ES is a self-financed, nonprofit organization working under the supervision of the Saudi Ministry of Education. No funds, grants or donations have ever been taken from embassy, consulate or government of Pakistan,” she said, stressing that she had informed the Election Commission of Pakistan at the time of her Senate election regarding her service. A copy of the letter of notification has been e-mailed to Arab News.
She stressed that she strongly adheres to the Kingdom's laws and has accused the Pakistani Embassy and the consulate of running an ill-intended campaign against her.
“I have tried my best not to respond and indulge myself in such a dirty game. For me, respect for my country and respect for the Kingdom is above personal interest,” she said in the statement.