- IHC suspends physical remand orders of PTI lawmakers, adjourns hearing for tomorrow
- A dead man was booked along with me in a case, Omar Ayub says
ISLAMABAD: The ten arrested MNAs of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who were arrested from the Parliament House’s premises in a late-night raid earlier this week were presented in the National Assembly on Thursday after the speaker issued their production orders.
A heavy contingent of Islamabad police escorted the members to Parliament House, where they were handed over to the acting Sergeant-at-Arms.
A day ago, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq issued production orders for the MNAs in police custody — namely Sher Afzal Marwat (NA-41), Malik Amir Dogar (NA-49), Ahmed Chattha (NA-66), Zain Qureshi (NA-50), Sheikh Waqas Akram (NA-109), Zubair Khan Wazir (NA-42), Awais Haider Jakhar (NA-182), Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah (NA-33), Nasim Ali Shah (NA-39) and Yousuf Khan Khattak (NA-36).
These members are currently in police custody under physical remand.
Just after 3 am on Tuesday, plainclothesmen had stormed the Parliament House — disconnecting the power supply and barging into the building’s Services Branch — to whisk away at least 10 PTI legislators.
In light of the subsequent outcry by the PTI in the NA, Sadiq suspended five security staff for four months and transferred five officials of the Capital Development Authority — serving in the assembly on deputation — for disconnecting the building’s power during the ‘raid’.
A four-member committee headed by Additional Secretary Iftikhar Ahmad has been constituted to probe security arrangements and the “unauthorised movements” in the parliament.
Videos shared by the PTI on social media platform X showed MNA Ali Muhammad Khan — who gave a fiery speech in the NA on Tuesday — receiving his party colleagues.
Chants of “Imran Khan” could be heard as the detained lawmakers — including Dogar, Marwat and Qureshi — appeared out of a vehicle.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah is presiding over the session. Federal Minister Awais Laghari arrived in the House wearing a mask and revealed during the question period that he was experiencing Covid symptoms but attended out of respect for parliament, although he has not yet undergone testing.
Some parliamentarians called for his return, upon which the deputy speaker suggested Leghari to get tested for Covid, and subsequently sent him from the National Assembly session.
‘They booked a dead man with me in FIR,” says Omar Ayub
“They are so incompetent that a dead man was booked along with me in a case,” PTI leader Omar Ayub said on Thursday.
Talking with media, Omar Ayub, the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, said that after my tweet they altered the FIR.
“I have been booked in three cases and got bail from the Peshawar High Court yesterday,” Ayub said.
“IG Islamabad has said that the Speaker National Assembly was aware about the Parliament incident,” PTI leader said.
“What it means to attack the parliament, it must be investigated”, he said. “Only suspension of the Sergeant-at-Arms is not acceptable,” he further said.
“Who were those people, whether they came from Nepal,” he questioned. “They are hired men, how can they hold dialogue,” he questioned.
The opposition leader was talking about recent incident of the opposition PTI party’s parliamentarians’ arrest from the premises of Pakistan’s parliament.
Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq yesterday suspended the Sergeant-at-Arms and four other security personnel of the parliament over negligence in their duty.
IHC suspends PTI leaders’ physical remand orders
On the other hand, the Islamabad High Court suspended the physical remand orders of detained PTI leaders, following hearings on petitions challenging the remands.
The IHC bench, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, issued the order while reviewing petitions filed by PTI members of the assembly who were arrested in connection with cases related to a recent PTI rally.
During the hearing, the Prosecutor General opposed the suspension, arguing that it would create a negative perception. In response, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq questioned the basis of this concern, noting, “What negative perception? I’ve already given a clear observation. If we issue an order, the accused will be sent to judicial custody. This physical remand order cannot be upheld, but if it is, what would be the consequence?”
The petitioners’ counsel argued that extended physical remand should be avoided, pointing out that the trial court failed to provide reasons for the remand in its order.
Chief Justice Farooq asked the prosecutor how he intended to defend the remand decision, prompting the prosecutor to read out the FIRs against the accused.
The Islamabad High Court adjourned the hearing until Friday (tomorrow), noting that a special two-member bench will convene at 10 AM for further proceedings.
