NA Speaker suspends five security officials over arrest of PTI lawmakers

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday suspended five officials in response to the recent arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers within the Parliament House.

According to an office order issued by the NA Secretariat today, Sergeant-at-Arms Muhammad Ishfaq Ashraf (BPS-20) has been suspended with immediate effect for a duration of 120 days.

Four additional security staff members were also suspended: Security Assistant Waqas Ahmed and Junior Security Assistants Ubaidullah, Waheed Safdar, and Muhammad Haroon.

Read more: PHC grants transitory bail to PTI leaders in ‘rally time limit violation’ case

Earlier on Tuesday, the NA Speaker requested footage from all entry gates of the Parliament House to facilitate evidence-based action.

Imran Khan’s party successfully held a rally in Islamabad on September 8, despite clashes with the capital’s police that resulted in injuries to dozens of policemen and PTI workers.

Authorities had granted PTI permission for the public gathering on Sunday. However, they had also transformed Islamabad into a fortified city, using shipping containers to block all roads leading to neighbouring Rawalpindi in anticipation of the rally. Additionally, over 6,000 personnel from the police and the Frontier Constabulary (FC) were stationed along the routes.