PTI protests in Senate against Aoun Bappi arrest, stages walkout

ISLAMABAD/ MULTAN: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers strongly protested in the Senate on Thursday against the arrest of their colleague Aoun Abbas Bappi. 

They called it political vendetta and staged a walkout from the House, though Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said Bappi was arrested on complaint of the Punjab Wildlife Department. Immediately after the question hour was suspended on the opening day of the 347th session, Leader of Opposition and senior PTI leader Syed Shibli Faraz raised the issue of Bappi’s arrest and said that he was picked up from his house at 8:30 on Thursday morning. “We vehemently condemn this series of fascism,” he said. 

“The Senate chairman issued production orders for our colleague Ijaz Chaudhry, but it was not implemented, and no action was taken against the officials who defied the orders,” he added.

Shibli said they had videos of the incident from outside and inside Bappi’s residence, as the police had barged in and resorted to damaging everything inside. He regretted that on the one hand, the government was making tall claims while on the other hand, parliament, particularly, the opposition was being pushed to the wall. He insisted that the House would have to use its importance and weight for a production order was flouted and no action taken thereon, and now an honourable member of the House was picked without informing the chairman and Senate secretariat

The law minister said they had the same concerns regarding their colleague in the House, as the opposition had, but a system works under certain rules and procedures, though the lawmakers have some privileges, concerning their arrest or release. He conceded that it was news for him when PTI parliamentary leader Senator Ali Zafar informed him about the arrest. The minister said when he checked, the matter was related to Derawar police station, Bahawalpur, as Aoun Abbas was wanted in an FIR by Cholistan wildlife. “By the way, gazelle hunting in Cholistan is a serious crime. A police official told me that the action was taken as per law, as my utmost concern was if there was an illegal detention,” he explained. The minister said he had sought more details and a copy of the FIR and would update the House about it.

Shibli also complained that their senator Sania Nishtar had resigned from the House in September last year and her resignation was not accepted yet, while that of Muhammad Qasim was immediately accepted and a by-poll schedule issued. He alleged all this methodology was adopted for the opposition. PTI’s parliamentary leader Syed Ali Zafar proposed to the chair to stop the House proceedings until the detained member is produced here. Later, the law minister again took the floor and said that he was in touch with the Punjab government and would come back with good news.

In his ruling, Deputy Chairman Syedaal Khan ordered his office and the Law Minister that a comprehensive report should be shared with the House as early as possible about the honourable member. He again urged the Leader of the House, the opposition leader, and parliamentary leaders of all the parties to sit together to ensure the House is run with grace and dignity. At one point, a rare exchange of hot words between the chair and BAP lawmaker Manzoor Ahmad Kakar was witnessed in the House.

Earlier, police and unknown persons raided the house of PTI South Punjab President Aoun Abbas Bappi in Multan on Thursday. After thrashing Bappi and vandalising his house, he was taken away. Bappi in the last few days was running an awareness campaign against inflation in every district of south Punjab.

PTI Multan District President Chaudhry Khalid Javed Warraich said Senator Bappi “was kidnapped from his residence by unknown people”. “Bappi had not done any illegal work nor have our other workers done any illegal work,” he added.