Five National Assembly security officials suspended after PTI lawmakers' arrest

ISLAMABAD: Amidst prevailing political turmoil, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq suspended the lower house of parliament's Sergeant at Arms Muhammad Ishfaq Ashraf for four months on Wednesday for showcasing irresponsibility regarding the Assembly's security.

Sadiq also suspended four other security personnel for the said term over failure to ensure the house's security which include Security Assistant Waqas Ahmed along with three junior security officers namely Obaidullah, Waheed Safdar and Muhammad Haroon.

The speaker's actions come in the wake of the uproar revolving around Islamabad police's arrest of several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers allegedly from within the Parliament House's premises.

The arrests drew ire not only from the former ruling party but from the speaker as well who reprimanded Islamabad Inspector General (IG) of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, demanding the PTI leaders' immediate release.

"What way was it to arrest a parliamentarian?" the speaker questioned the police chief.

"Whatever happened in the Parliament will have to be protested. I have ordered all the videos [to be collected]," Sadiq remarked, adding that he would file a case against those involved in the incident.

The crackdown against the Imran Khan-founded party, which saw Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, Sher Afzal Marwat, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram and others being taken into custody, came under the pretext of alleged violation of the newly enacted Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024 in relation to the party's public rally in Islamabad on Sunday.

A number of cases were filed against PTI leaders, which also include the reported attack on police at Chongi No 26 — which turned into a battleground as PTI workers and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) clashed after the formers deviated routes leading to Sangjani, venue of public gathering.

Cases have been registered at the Noon Village and Sangjani police stations.

With the PTI seeking the identity of the "masked men" who allegedly whisked away its lawmakers the government pledging to take action only if the opposition party proved its allegations.

Gohar has since been released whereas the former has also been discharged from a case registered at Sangjani police station.