PESHAWAR: Members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Wednesday urged the National Assembly speaker to act against those who violated parliament’s sanctity by arresting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmakers from its premises.

During a session chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, MPAs also called for immediate action, including the filing of cases and punishment of those responsible for the incident.

They said they’re opposed to the militarymen’s involvement in politics, which went against their oath.

They said after May 9, many PTI leaders were arrested, imprisoned, pressured and offered inducements to leave PTI founder Imran Khan, but they refused.

Oppose military’s role in politics

Adviser to the chief minister on population welfare Malik Liaqat Ali Khan said parliamentarians were illegally arrested from inside the parliament without the permission of the NA speaker.

He said those, who advocated for democracy, got parliament attacked.

“No one is above the law and all those involved should be tried for treason under Article 6 of the Constitution,” he said.

The aide to the CM said people stood by jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.

He complained that unlike other parts of the country, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was hit by lawlessness.

Mr Khan wondered how militants with suicide vests entered the country when people weren’t even allowed to carry a knife for own safety.

“We should be told about the reasons for lack of peace in our province,” he said.

Former minister Shakil Ahmad, who spoke for the first time after his removal from the current cabinet over corruption charges, accused intelligence agencies of suspending power supply to parliament before holding staff members hostage.

He questioned who imposed the first Martial Law in 1958, who denied power to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after victory in the 1971 elections, and who was behind the judicial murder of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Rangez Ahmad of the treasury benches said the NA speaker should take notice of the issue and order registration cases against all those who whisked away PTI MNAs from inside parliament.

He said anyone who raised voice against the establishment’s political role was put behind bars, but it “miscalculated Imran Khan, who stood firm and exposed it.”

The lawmaker insisted that everyone knew about the military’s role in politics as it interfered in all institutions, including judiciary.

Treasury MPA Abdul Ghani said KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur was being asked to withdraw from his Sept 8 public meeting statement and apologise for it.

“Apology should instead be sought from them [establishment] over 400 drone strikes in tribal region, the escape of militant commander Ehsanullah Ehsan from captivity and reaching Turkiye, violation of oaths, and registration of illegal cases against PTI founder Imran Khan,” he said.

Treasury MPA Shafiullah Khan said people didn’t support the establishment’s role in politics.

He said the PTI was opposed to the military’s political maneuvers.

“We’ve always heard that parliament is supreme, but the raid on parliament to arrest its members speaks otherwise,” he said.

The lawmaker said the NA speaker must give an explanation why lawmakers were picked up from inside parliament.

He also said that it was alarming to see police personnel protest in Lakki Marwat against their targeted killing, with policemen from Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu district joining them.

Mr Khan questioned how the situation escalated.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2024