Following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers within the Parliament premises, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq issued a stern reprimand to Islamabad’s Inspector General of Police, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, demanding their immediate release.
Sadiq declared that arrests cannot be made within the Parliament House or its lodges and insisted that the detained parliamentarians be freed. His remarks followed a passionate speech by PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan in the National Assembly.
Read more: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar and Sher Afzal Marwat Detained Outside Parliament House
Sadiq expressed his dismay over the incident, including the arrest of PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat, and questioned the appropriateness of the arrests. He vowed to take action, stating he would not remain silent and has requested all relevant footage. He also summoned the leadership of all political parties and announced his intention to file a case against those responsible for the arrests. Additionally, Sadiq called in the Islamabad IG, DIG operations, and senior superintendent of police (SSP) operations for further discussion.
‘May 9 of democracy’
In his speech, Khan vehemently denounced the treatment of National Assembly members such as Aamir Dogar, Sheikh Waqas, Maulana Naseem, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Jamshed Dasti, who sought refuge in the Parliament the previous night.
He described the situation as a “May 9 of democracy,” emphasizing that while the events of May 9 were wrong, last night’s actions were an assault on democratic values. Khan clarified that his speech was not about his party’s founder, Imran Khan, but about defending democracy in Pakistan.
Khan questioned the identity of those who removed his party’s lawmakers from Parliament, referring to them as masked individuals. He called for Article 6 to be imposed on those responsible for storming the Parliament, labeling the incident as a “dark chapter in Pakistan’s democratic history.”
He argued that the attack was directed at democracy, the Constitution, the Speaker, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Khan also shared the difficulties he faced getting to the Parliament due to heightened security measures.
Asif, Khan trade barbs
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticized remarks made during a PTI rally, stating they challenged Pakistan’s integrity and undermined the country’s unity and federation. He condemned the rally’s attempt to link Pakistan’s existence to any individual and denounced comments made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, which he said were offensive to political leaders, media professionals, and the sentiment of the nation.
Asif labeled September 8 as a “black day” in Pakistan’s history, accusing Gandapur of challenging the federation. He expressed disappointment over PTI’s refusal to engage in dialogue with other political parties and alleged that the party sought power through illegitimate means. He also criticized PTI for attacking defense installations and martyrs’ memorials on May 9 and failing to bolster democracy and Parliament.
During his speech, PTI lawmakers Khan and Shandana Gulzar Khan protested Asif’s comments, leading to a heated exchange. Asif responded by recalling that during the PTI government, Article 6 had been imposed against him, and criticized PTI leaders for their dramatics. When Shandana accused him of gender bias, Asif retorted, “I learned these manners from you.”
