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Published 30 Aug, 2009 12:00am

Security procedure for visitors: 11 MNAs violated rules during last session

ISLAMABAD, Aug 29 Eleven parliamentarians were found violating the law and rule of the National Assembly during its last session by taking unconcerned people inside Parliament House without proper permit and security clearance, sources told Dawn.

The sources said the practice was a serious security concern and threat for the Parliament House, other sensitive installations adjacent to the building and the parliamentarians.

The police expressed the fear view that some of the people going inside the Parliament House violating the rules may have passed information regarding security arrangements in and around the building and the red zone to militants.

The sources said a complaint was lodged with the National Assembly secretary about the violations committed by the parliamentarians.

The parliamentarians not only forcefully took their visitors inside the house but also stopped the police personnel from conducting their physical search.

According to the law, a visitor should have a permit (entry pass) issued by the National Assembly Secretariat on the recommendation of an MNA to enter the building. However, it was observed that some MNAs took visitors along from Gate No 1, which is reserved only for parliamentarians.

The sources said complaints were also lodged with the superintendent of police National Assembly by the police personnel deployed at the gates against misbehavior and threats by the parliamentarians.

The complainants said the parliamentarians failed to produce passes for the visitors besides disallowing them to conduct their physical search.

According to the data during the last session of the house from August 3 to 21, Pakistan People's Party MNA from Dadu Talat Iqbal took eight visitors inside the National Assembly without passes and physical search.

Likewise, PPP MNA from Gujranwala Imtiaz Safdar took five visitors inside the building in the same manner followed by another PPP MNA from lower Dir Malik Azmat Khan with four visitors.

Pakistan People's Party MNA from Rahim Yar Khan Javed Iqbal Warrich, PPP MNA from Lahore Tariq Shabbir, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA from Sheikhupura Sardar Mohammad Irfan Dogar; PML-N MNA from Narowal Sumaira Yasir and PML-N's Rana Abdul Sattar from Sialkot took three visitors each inside the assembly without passes and search.

Similarly, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) MNA from Hafizabad Chaudhry Liquat Abbas Bhatti and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Abid Sher Ali from Faisalabad also took two visitors each inside the assembly.

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