MNAs Mohsin Dawar, Ali Wazir offloaded from Dubai-bound flight at Peshawar airport

Published November 30, 2018
"Security officials said we are wanted in a case registered in Swabi and our names are on ECL," says Mohsin Dawar. —PID/File
"Security officials said we are wanted in a case registered in Swabi and our names are on ECL," says Mohsin Dawar. —PID/File

The Members of National Assembly (MNA) from North Waziristan, Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir, were offloaded from a Dubai-bound flight on Peshawar airport by security officials on Friday, DawnNewsTV reported.

Dawar told DawnNewsTV that they were travelling to Dubai to participate in a Pakhtun cultural event, but were offloaded from the aircraft of a private airline before departure by the Federal Investigations Agency (FIA) officials.

“Security officials informed us that we are wanted in a case registered in Swabi and our names are on the Exit Control List,” the Waziristan lawmaker said. Both the lawmakers have been detained by the FIA.

FIA Peshawar Director Mirwaiz Niaz confirmed the arrest, saying the lawmakers' names were on the blacklist and were wanted by the Swabi police, "which is why they have been arrested".

The FIA director told Dawar and Wazir that the agency will handover their custody to Swabi police.

However, Dawar told DawnNewsTV that they have already obtained bail before arrest in this case.

Read more: The Pakhtun identity crisis

In August, both the lawmakers were charged with multiple offences, including rioting and removing the country’s flag from a building after a public meeting in Swabi.

An FIR was registered under different sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including 123-B (removing national flag from a building), 131 (seducing soldiers for mutiny), 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 153 (provocation to rioting), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Later, the superintendent of police (investigation), Swabi, had sent a letter to the administration of North and South Waziristan tribal districts asking them to arrest the said leaders as they had been absconding.

In September, a Peshawar High Court (PHC) bench had admitted for hearing a writ petition requesting for quashing of a case registered against the two members of the National Assembly.

Advocate Muhammad Ayaz Khan, who appeared for the petitioner, had contended that the FIR was based on rumours and not facts. He argued that the lawmakers had exercised their fundamental rights of freedom of expression, saying that nothing objectionable had taken place in that public meeting.

In June, Dawar was banned from entering North Waziristan for three months by the agency's political administration.

"Dawar is acting in a manner prejudicial to public peace and tranquility," the local political agent had stated in a notification. "He is instigating the people through provocative speeches against the state."

Later the PHC set aside the North Waziristan administration's directives barring Dawar from entering the area.

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