Intrusion into Maryam‘s hotel room: Senate resolution seeks panel to fix responsibility

ISLAMABAD: In a move which apparently took the treasury benches by surprise, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani Thursday referred the issue of forcible intrusion into Maryam Nawaz’s hotel room and kidnapping of IG Police Sindh to the House Standing Committee on Law for probe.

Following a heated debate between the legislators on both sides of the aisle, the referral of the matter was made to the house panel after Leader of Opposition Raja Zafarul Haq moved a resolution for constitution of a Senate committee immediately to find out facts as to what happened at that night and kidnapping of the IGP with a view to fixing the responsibility.

While PTI Senator Walid Iqbal urged referring the matter to the House Committee of the Whole, starting its proceedings by running videos of what he called disrespect meted out to the Mazar-e-Quaid, whereas Information and Broadcasting Minister Shibli Faraz insisted that two committees already formed should complete their work first on this count.

“There are so many situations like women being abused or terrorist organizations operating, where it takes time to lodge FIRs. Delaying tactics are used, people are unable to get their rights and are being wronged openly. But in this case, it took minutes to lodge the FIR,” she added. She termed it a grave crisis which could lead to a constitutional crisis. So, let the Senate play its part. Incidents like these must not happen again. “We welcome the Army chief’s action of conducting and overseeing the investigation after PPP Chairman Bilawal’s press conference.

Dr Shahzad Waseem, leader of the house in the Senate, said the provincial government and General Qamar Javed Bajwa have announced an inquiry into the incident, so reports of both inquiries should be awaited. “The direction in which they are taking the matters is no service to the state and none of them is talking about disrespect happened at the Mazar but the citizens reacted to it and some approached the police station and lodged an FIR.

Commenting on the matter, former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani said one state agency protested against another agency's move. He said this is a very serious issue, due to which the intervention of the Senate or the Parliament is necessary and according to the rules, the Senate could look into the matter. He alleged that in this case, the federal government directly interfered in the affairs of the province, which affected the provincial autonomy as Sindh was not taken into confidence. “History may not forgive if the legislature does not play its due role, as from IGP to SHO, all registered their protest over the action of the state and sought leave,” he said.

Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem said the Senate has the prerogative and role “so we would not have any objection and the truth should come out”. However, he said if there is any pressure on anyone, it is wrong but the action taken on the mausoleum of the Quaid-i-Azam should be taken into consideration. He said the action taken at the mausoleum of the Quaid-i-Azam should be looked into if it was right, but if it was wrong, what was the punishment for it.