Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas filed a privilege motion on Monday against the Station House Officer (SHO) of Barakahu, alleging that he was prevented from reaching his residence and treated in a “rude and discourteous manner” at a police checkpoint. The motion was submitted a day after a high-level delegation of Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP), led by National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, was stopped by police from travelling to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) after announcing plans to join an ongoing sit-in in Rawalakot. Police officers stated that they had been instructed by their “senior officers” not to allow the delegation to continue.
Details of the Incident
The motion, dated June 29 and submitted under the Senate’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, addressed to Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani, accuses Sub-Inspector (SI) Naeem-ul-Hassan, SHO Barakahu Police Station, of committing “a breach of privilege.” According to the motion, Abbas was travelling to his residence in Satra Meel, Islamabad, at approximately 5:30pm when he found that the road had been blocked by police at a checkpoint in Barakahu. The senator alleged that SI Naeem-ul-Hassan, accompanied by a large number of police personnel, approached his vehicle and “in a rude and discourteous manner” informed him that he could not proceed any further.
Senator’s Account
Abbas identified himself as the Senate opposition leader and informed the officer that he was travelling to his residence, located approximately 2 kilometres from the checkpoint. “Despite this,” the motion said, “the SHO neither paid heed to my explanation nor extended the courtesy due to a member of Parliament. Instead, he continued to behave in an insulting and disrespectful manner.” The opposition leader argued that the actions of the SHO and the accompanying police officers amounted to “an obstruction in the discharge of my duties and a gross act of disrespect towards a member of the Senate.” “Such conduct constitutes a breach of the privileges of the House and its members,” the motion stated.
Request for Action
Abbas requested that the matter be referred to the Senate Privileges Committee for “appropriate disciplinary and legal action” against the officer concerned for allegedly breaching the privileges of the Senate and one of its members. The delegation that was stopped earlier included Abbas, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, TTAP spokesperson Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai, and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan.
