ISLAMABAD, June 29: The staff of the press information department (PID) caused a security lapse in the National Assembly by allowing non-journalists to enter the Press gallery here on Tuesday.

Some senior journalists approached the Assembly's sergeant, who, however, removed a few non-journalists from the gallery. When the Assembly sergeant checked the identity cards, it was revealed that some non-journalists did not have the Press gallery cards while others had got it from the PID staff. However, they could not prove their affiliation with any newspaper.

Though the journalists were not allowed to carry mobile telephones with them, the non-journalists had the same. The irresponsible action by the PID also caused inconvenience to the journalists, as a number of senior journalists had to sit on the stairs.

When a few journalists asked the non-journalists to vacate the seats in the press gallery, a PID official, Mr Maqbool, intervened and pointing to the person said, "He is my guest." "The presence of strangers in the Press gallery exposed a security lapse, as any terrorist could also get unauthorized entry in the Assembly," said a journalist.