ISLAMABAD: Speaker of National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday summoned the Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, ordering the immediate release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers.
“You cannot arrest anyone from the Parliament House or lodges. These parliamentarians should be released immediately,” said the speaker.
Sadiq added that he is distressed by this incident and also watched the video of PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat’s arrest. “What way was it to arrest a parliamentarian?” the speaker asked IG Rizvi.
The speaker’s directive comes in the wake of the arrests of PTI parliamentarian followed by a speech by the party’s leader Ali Muhammad Khan on the floor of the lower house.
Khan, in his speech, strongly protested the treatment of police with fellow members of the NA including Aamir Dogar, Sheikh Waqas, Maulana Naseem, Sher Afzal Marwat and Jamshed Dasti.
The former minister protesting against the arrests, said what happened on May 9 was wrong, but last night was the May 9 of democracy.
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Earlier today, the speaker added he won’t remain silent on arrests of lawmakers and will take action. “Whatever happened in the Parliament will have to be protested. The speaker then immediately summoned IG Islamabad, DIG operations and senior superintendent of police (SSP) operations.
Ali Muhammad Khan added that it was an attack, on the speaker, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
The PTI leader told fellow lawmakers that it was very difficult for him to reach the Parliament after strict checking in Islamabad.
The Islamabad police on Monday arrested Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Khan and Member National Assembly Sher Afzal Marwat outside the Parliament House, as well as took other members of the party into custody for violating the newly enacted public gathering law during the party’s Sunday rally in the capital.
