Action will have to be taken over what happened in parliament Monday night; Tarar says if seeds of poison are sown, the flowers that bloom would be equally poisonous; Sadiq summons IG, SSP over PTI leaders’ arrests; Barrister Gohar released
Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday took notice of the recent arrests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders from the parliament house while MPs both from oppositin and allied parties decry arrest of MNAs from parliament house premises.
Taking notice of the arrests, the NA speaker ordered Islamabad Inspector General to immediately release PTI lawmakers arrested outside lower house of parliament, sources said.
The speaker has made it clear that he will not tolerate any disrespect towards the members of the assembly and will take all necessary measures to ensure their safety and security. The Speaker has also sought a report from the IG Islamabad regarding last night’s incident.
On Monday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Shoaib Shaheen were arrested. The Capital police arrested MNAs Zain Qureshi and Sheikh Waqas Akram from inside the Parliament House.
Additionally, police detained Owais Ahmed Chattha, Syed Shah Ahmed, Sunni Ittehad Council’s Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Yousaf Khan, Maulana Naseem Shah, and Ahmed Shah Khattak.
Sources said Speaker Ayaz Sadiq allowed arrest of PTI MNAs outside the premises of the house. The development followed after police presented a copy of FIR registered against the PTI lawmakers for violating SOPs during September 8 public rally.
Additionally, three cases have been registered under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill in Islamabad, citing violations of the event’s NOC. The FIR names 28 individuals, including PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Ali, Sher Afzal Marwat, Shoaib Shaheen, Omar Gul, Zartaj Gul, Aamir Mughal, Seemabia Tahir, and Raja Basharat.
Earlier, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq summons Islamabad police chief, DIG, SSP with details of cases against assembly members. During the session, the Speaker Ayaz Sadiq called for decisive action regarding the events that transpired in parliament Monday night regarding arrests of PTI lawmakers from allegedly within and outside the Parliament House.
Meanwhile, a day after his arrest, the police on Tuesday released PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan from their custody. In a statement, the police said the PTI chief had been discharged from a case registered in Sangjani police station.
Speaking during a session of the assembly on Tuesday, Sadiq said: “Action will have to be taken over what happened in parliament last night.” He also said he had has ordered the retrieval of CCTV footage from all entry points and within the Parliament House, including gate numbers one and five, the cabinet side gate, and inside the building.
The speaker then summoned Ali Muhammad Khan, Syed Naveed Qamar, and Azam Nazeer Tarar to his chamber for a discussion. He urged them to engage in dialogue to address the situation, stressing the importance of resolving such matters through conversation.
PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan also provided all the footage from last night to the speaker. Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party President Abdul Aleem Khan is also part of the consultation, along with JUI-F’s Noor Alam Khan, Aminul Haq of the MQM, Rana Sanaullah, Shandana Gulzar and Sahibzada Hamid Raza.
Speaking on the occasion Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said if seeds of poison are sown, the flowers that bloom would be equally poisonous, adding that similarly, ideas and discussions will elicit reactions. He said this is a problem of the House and no one will back out. Tarar called for restraint and emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law amidst escalating political tensions. He also stressed the need to control emotions and work towards constructive solutions. “There are brothers on both sides; we have to control our emotions,” he remarked, advocating for a measured approach to the current political climate.
He warned against the potential for increased divisiveness pledged to address any wrongdoings and work towards a resolution. “I will accept the wrong done and correct it,” he declared.
PPP MNA Naveed Qamar, speaking on the floor of the House, said the allegations that are being made were a “serious matter”. Referring to the 2014 sit-in by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Qamar said: “When Ali Muhammad Khan and his colleagues came to the gate of parliament, we declared it an attack.” “Whatever happened last night was done by entering parliament and it’s like crossing all the red lines. If you don’t take action today, there is no limit to this,” Qamar reminded his party’s ally, the PML-N.
