Govt disputes ‘arrests from National Assembly’ as speaker doles out punishment
• Ayaz Sadiq proposes ‘charter of parliament’, issues production orders for detained PTI MNAs
• PTI announces boycott of proceedings until investigation into ‘raid’
• Special 18-member committee formed for ‘smooth functioning’ of parliament
• Bilawal calls for shunning politics of revenge
ISLAMABAD: While Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed no lawmaker was taken into custody from the premises of Parliament House in a late-night raid earlier this week, National Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday suspended the security in charge of the lower house, in addition to four low-ranking officials ‘for not resisting’ the entry of unauthorised people.
Besides the security staff, which was suspended for four months, the speaker also transferred five officials of the Capital Development Authority — serving in the assembly on deputation — for disconnecting the building’s power during the ‘raid’.
As the speaker took measures to fix responsibility, the government’s chief spokesperson claimed during the NA session that CCTV footage showed no one was arrested from the house. “The CCTV footage is there in the speaker’s office and can be examined,” he told lawmakers.
However, footage from the incident showed PTI leaders Zain Qureshi and Sheikh Waqqas Akram being hauled out of the Services Branch of Parliament House.
The remarks by the minister came just after Ali Muhammad Khan of the PTI called for the implementation of the production orders of his arrested party colleagues, stressing that the raid by masked men had breached the privilege of the house.
Mr Tarar’s remarks stood in contrast to the actions of the speaker, who claimed he had started from the top, not the bottom, by suspending sergeant-at-arms Ishaq Ashraf (a grade-20 employee). The security in charge was suspended with allowances and pay, however. Sources told Dawn Ishfaq Ashraf was supposed to head the committee for the probe into the raid.
Now, a four-member committee headed by Additional Secretary Iftikhar Ahmad will probe security arrangements and the “unauthorised movements” in parliament. Other committee members include joint secretaries Rizwanullah and Arshad Ali Khan and Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Farhat Abbas.
The speaker also issued production orders for 10 PTI MNAs in police custody, in an apparent bid to placate their colleagues, who had been riled up following the arrests.
PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan announced a boycott of NA and committee proceedings except for token representation till the conclusion of the probe.
“Until an inquiry is conducted into September 10 events and we are satisfied, the PTI MNAs, except for nine to 10, will not participate in this parliament’s proceedings. We will not attend your committees. This is our protest,” the PTI leader said.
He stressed an inquiry that led to the suspension of “some innocent ordinary people” must not be conducted and called for going into the depth of the matter. He said his party wanted political forces to be strengthened, giving no chance to the non-state actors.
Speaking in the house, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari underlined the need to bury “the politics of revenge”.
“The representatives of the house must maintain a working relationship. If the government is constantly engaged in firefighting, and the opposition continues to curse, make hue and cry, and act below the belt, they cannot fulfil their duty of holding the government accountable,” he said.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said political differences are part of democracy, adding that the differences should not be turned into personal enmity.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq proposed a ‘charter of parliament’. “Whether our leadership sits together or not, can we parliamentarians not sign a charter of parliament for the sake of parliament’s betterment?” he asked. “We should talk about the people and their issues,” he said, calling upon lawmakers not to indulge in personal attacks.
The house also adopted a motion seeking the formation of a 18-member special committee to propose ways for the smooth functioning of the house, which was later notified. The body has representatives from all parties, including PTI.
Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2024
