National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has suspended several key security personnel from the Parliament House, including the sergeant-at-arms, due to negligence related to recent arrests of PTI lawmakers. Sergeant-at-Arms Ashfaq Ashraf has been suspended for four months for failing to ensure the security of the Parliament House. Additionally, four other security staff members, including a security assistant and three junior assistants—Waqas Ahmed, Obaidullah, Waheed Safdar, and Muhammad Haroon—have also been suspended for not adhering to security protocols.
These suspensions follow Speaker Sadiq’s decision to establish a high-level investigation committee on Tuesday to look into the arrests of PTI MNAs within the Parliament House. The suspended Sergeant-at-Arms Ashfaq Ashraf was initially set to lead this committee.
The committee has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the incidents leading to the arrests and presenting a detailed report with findings and recommendations to the Speaker. The committee has been instructed to gather all relevant evidence, including CCTV footage, to identify anyone who might have compromised the dignity of the Parliament House.
Speaker Sadiq emphasized the importance of maintaining the Parliament’s dignity, warning that those responsible for undermining it would face severe consequences.
On September 10, Islamabad police arrested several PTI leaders for allegedly violating standard operating procedures (SOPs) during a rally in Sangjani and for not adhering to the event’s deadline. The arrests occurred late Monday night, with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Sher Afzal Marwat, Shoaib Shaheen, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, and 12 other members taken into custody.
Marwat was detained while leaving a National Assembly session, Shaheen was arrested at his residence, and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was apprehended outside the Parliament House. Marwat’s private security guard was also detained for allegedly resisting arrest. Additional arrests were made both at and inside the Parliament House, including PTI MNAs Maulana Naseem Shah, Aamir Dogar, Owais, Ahmad Chattha, Syed Shah Ahad, and Yousuf Khan. Zubair Khan, an MNA from South Waziristan, was arrested shortly after leaving the Parliament.
Authorities have sealed off Islamabad’s Red Zone, raising concerns that more PTI leaders might be detained. The police linked the arrests to an FIR filed after the Sangjani rally, citing charges such as non-compliance with rally regulations, clashes with police, and making anti-state speeches. Further arrests of prominent figures like Omar Ayub and Zartaj Gul are anticipated.
