ISLAMABAD: In response to the arrests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers from inside the Parliament House, both the government and opposition reached a consensus on Wednesday to establish a 16-member committee aimed at addressing parliamentary issues.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar tabled a resolution calling for the formation of a parliamentary committee with members from both the treasury and opposition benches. The committee is tasked with discussing, analyzing, and proposing recommendations for resolving issues related to the functioning of Parliament.
This development occurred as Speaker Ayaz Sadiq chaired a session of the National Assembly amid heightened political tensions following the arrest of several PTI lawmakers. The arrests were reportedly linked to violations of the newly enacted Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024, concerning a PTI rally in Islamabad on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Speaker Sadiq had suspended the House’s Sergeant at Arms and four security officials due to a security lapse that led to the alleged arrests of lawmakers by Islamabad police and masked individuals within the Parliament premises.
Speaker Sadiq’s Remarks During the NA session, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq recalled the denial of production orders for opposition members during Imran Khan’s tenure as Prime Minister, noting that the PTI government’s actions were regrettable. However, he emphasized that “two wrongs do not make a right,” and affirmed his commitment to upholding the respect of Parliament. He vowed to investigate the incident thoroughly and announced that a committee would be constituted immediately. Sadiq also invited PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar to meet with him after the session.
Condemnation of Security Breach Defence Minister Khawaja Asif denounced the presence of masked individuals and police inside the Parliament House as “shameful” and a violation of parliamentary sanctity. He expressed no objection to the issuance of production orders for the arrested PTI lawmakers but criticized the PTI for crossing boundaries during their Sunday rally, which he said harmed the institution of Parliament.
PTI’s Stance Senior PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan reported a meeting with leaders from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and other parties regarding the production orders. He criticized the Islamabad police for failing to implement the speaker’s verbal directive to produce the arrested lawmakers. Khan also alleged that the masked individuals were not affiliated with the police.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan emphasized that production orders should not require a written application and expressed hope that they would be issued promptly. He reiterated PTI’s commitment to seeking negotiations for the sake of the country and democracy, describing the rally as a pretext to target PTI members.
Support for Parliamentary Integrity Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai expressed support for Speaker Sadiq’s efforts to uphold parliamentary supremacy and maintain institutional integrity within constitutional bounds. He condemned the attack on Parliament, asserting that it was unjustified and highly condemnable, regardless of any provocations.
The consensus to form a committee marks a step toward addressing the recent turmoil and ensuring the smooth functioning of Parliament amidst ongoing political challenges.
