National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has suspended five security officials for four months, following the arrest of PTI lawmakers inside the Parliament House.
The suspension comes after plainclothes officers entered the Parliament in the early hours of Tuesday, cutting the power supply and detaining at least 11 PTI legislators.
In response to the incident, Speaker Sadiq ordered an investigation into the arrests. The National Assembly Secretariat issued an order suspending Sergeant-at-Arms Muhammad Ishfaq Ashraf for 120 days. Four additional security officials, including one security assistant and three junior security assistants, were also suspended. These officials will continue to receive their pay and allowances during the suspension period, as per the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020.
The speaker has requested security footage from all entry gates of Parliament House to aid in the investigation. He held discussions with parliamentary leaders and officials, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the dignity of the parliament and avoiding similar incidents in the future.
On Monday night, law enforcement agencies arrested several key PTI leaders, including MNAs Sher Afzal Marwat, Zubair Khan, and others. These arrests followed a PTI rally in Sangjani. In response, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan announced that most PTI MNAs would boycott National Assembly sessions until a thorough investigation is completed.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also addressed the assembly, urging both sides to work together and avoid the politics of revenge. He stressed the importance of focusing on public service and moving forward as a nation.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif condemned the incident but also emphasized the need for mutual respect within the parliament, calling the police intervention a “collective violation” that harms the institution as a whole. He also highlighted the ongoing security issues in Balochistan and Katcha, calling for the parliament’s attention to these critical matters.
This incident marks a tense moment in Pakistan’s political landscape, with leaders from all sides calling for unity and a focus on strengthening democratic institutions.
