Parliament lodges declared sub-jail for arrested PTI MNAs

Author: Agencies

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has approved the designation of Parliament Lodges as a sub-jail for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs who are currently under arrest.

This decision follows a request from Barrister Gohar and other members due to heightened security concerns.

This move comes as part of ongoing efforts to address the security and logistical challenges associated with their detention.

In addition, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has issued production orders for ten PTI members, ensuring their presence at the National Assembly proceedings. The decision is intended to enable the detained MNAs to attend the 9th session of the National Assembly, scheduled after the issuance of production orders on 11th September 2024.

In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, the Secretariat noted that the Honourable Speaker had approved the arrangement in line with Rule 108 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.

Separately, the IHC on Friday struck down the anti-terrorism court (ATC) verdict of the eight-day physical remand of PTI MNAs, who were arrested from Parliament House earlier this week.

A day ago, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz took up the lawmakers’ petitions against the physical custody, suspending the ATC verdict for the same. Consequently, the 10 MNAs were sent on judicial remand.

Justices Farooq and Imtiaz resumed hearing the case on Friday and reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides. Announcing the reserved verdict, they set aside the ATC order of physical remand.

According to the written order, after the impugned ATC order was set aside, the PTI lawmakers “shall be in judicial custody”.

During the hearing, Islamabad Bar Council Vice Chairman Adil Aziz Qazi, Barrister Taimur Malik, Advocate Raja Haleem Abbasi and Shahbaz Khosa appeared as the counsels for the suspects.

The Islamabad prosecutor general and officials of the capital police were also present. He termed the first information report’s contents as “good comedy”.