ZAFAR IQBAL OF SOUTHWARK JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IN LONDON
In June 2014, Zafar Iqbal, age 67, the former chief executive of the Southwark Muslim Women’s Association (SMWA), was sentenced to over seven years in prison for numerous historic child sexual abuse crimes.Woolwich Crown Court found him guilty of 25 counts of abuse against three girls, all of whom were under 14 at the time the offenses took place during the 1970s and 1980s.
Court documents described Iqbal’s appalling misconduct, including forcing his tongue into his victims’ mouths and groping them.
Zafar Iqbal, who founded the SMWA in 1979, held a significant role within the organization, which received funding from Southwark Council.
His responsibilities included managing a creche and running educational and recreational programs.
It is also believed that his wife, Abida, was involved with the association.
He was convicted in April on 25 counts related to historic sexual abuse.
Following his sentencing, Iqbal was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely.
Throughout his career, Iqbal appeared in various prominent circles; just five years prior to his conviction, he was honored for his "excellence in education" at The Muslim News Awards for Excellence.
During his professional activities, Iqbal interacted with influential figures such as Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman.
In 2009, he and other association members were invited to the House of Commons, where they were photographed with Ms.
Harman, who was then Deputy Prime Minister.
In 2010, Iqbal was introduced to the Queen during an event marking The City Bridge Trust’s 800th anniversary.
Harman later expressed regret over historical links to the Paedophile Information Exchange, which was affiliated with the National Council of Civil Liberties (NCCL) where she and other Labour politicians, including her husband Jack Dromey and Patricia Hewitt, served as legal officers in the 1970s and 1980s.
A spokesperson for Southwark Council stated that they had reported allegations of Iqbal’s misconduct to the police in 2010.
The council emphasized that the convictions did not involve activities on SMWA premises and condemned Iqbal’s actions, adding that they were conducting a review of the organization’s relationship with the council.
The Metropolitan Police announced that investigations started in late 2012 after one of Iqbal’s victims came forward, noting that earlier allegations from 2010 had been anonymous and could not be pursued at that time.
