Pakistan opposition blasts govt over late-night arrests in fiery parliament session

The National Assembly of Pakistan erupted into a stormy session on Tuesday as opposition leaders condemned last night's arrests of several members of the erstwhile ruling party the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), calling the detentions an attack on democracy.

Ali Muhammad Khan, a PTI lawmaker, expressed outrage over the arrests, stating that two members, Jamshed Dasti and Nasim Shah, were detained from the parliament mosque. He described the incident as an assault on Pakistan’s democratic institutions.

Ali accused the authorities of targeting his party for its opposition to U.S. policies. “Isn't this attack on parliament also an attack on Pakistan?”

Sahibzada Hamid Raza, another opposition leader, said that some “masked men” arrested the lawmakers from within the parliament building in the early hours of Tuesday. He named several colleagues, including Aamir Dogar, Zain Qureshi, and Nasim Shah, as victims of the crackdown.

“We don’t know where Ahmed Chattha and Owais Jhakkar are,” Raza said. He reaffirmed his loyalty to PTI’s founder, jailed former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, challenging the authorities: “After this House’s session, tell the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest me. If there is any FIR [First Information Report] against me, take me there.”

According to Raza, although only four people were named in the FIR, many more were arrested in a "humiliating" manner, with some reportedly grabbed by the neck. He also mentioned that PTI’s chairman, Barrister Gohar, was arrested after being seized by the collar.

Speaker Ayaz Sadiq meeting lawmakers following a fiery National Assembly session.Nukta

'Breach of parliament's dignity'

Veteran lawmaker Mahmood Khan Achakzai expressed his dismay over what he described as a breach of the dignity of parliament and the constitution.

He warned the ruling parties Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to make a choice between supporting democratic principles or siding with undemocratic forces.

Some of his remarks were expunged by the Speaker for being deemed inappropriate. Achakzai added, "When the fight intensifies, we'll see who makes sacrifices."

PPP lawmaker Naveed Qamar demanded an immediate investigation by the speaker into the arrests of PTI members from within parliament. He called it a “direct attack” on both parliament and the constitution, warning that such incidents would only escalate if left unchecked.

PML-N’s Rana Tanveer Hussain criticized both the opposition and the PTI’s past actions, reminding members of warnings issued before past confrontations. He accused the PTI of creating a culture of disrespect for democratic institutions and urged Ali Muhammad Khan to guide his party responsibly, saying, “Disagreements should not harm Pakistan.”

During Hussain’s speech, tensions flared when PTI lawmakers Ali Muhammad Khan and Shandana Gulzar stood up to condemn the arrests, prompting heated exchanges between opposition and government benches.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Mustafa Kamal condemned the inappropriate language used during a PTI rally held in Islamabad on Sunday.

He criticized remarks directed at the country's army chief, General Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, cautioning that such rhetoric would only deepen divisions. Kamal implored all sides to end the hostility and instead focus on constructive discussions for Pakistan’s progress.

Speaker summons Islamabad police chief

As the session progressed, the Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq declared his intention to take firm action regarding the arrests.

He informed the assembly that he had requested video footage from all parliament entry points and inside the gates to investigate the matter.

Sadiq also reflected on previous attacks on parliament, referencing an incident in 2014 when he was speaker during a protest that saw a political party —PTI — physically attack the institution.

He also mentioned a more recent incident at the Parliament Lodges, where another lawmaker, Salahuddin Ayubi, was mistreated. “The third attack happened last night, and we will not let this go unaddressed,” Sadiq declared, pledging that those responsible would face consequences.

The speaker also summoned key figures from both the opposition and the government, including Ali Muhammad Khan, Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar, and PPP’s Naveed Qamar, to his office for further discussions on the situation.

Meanwhile, Sadiq also summoned Islamabad police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi. He also announced his decision to issue production orders for PTI members who were named in the First Information Report (FIR) related to the incident. He directed Rizvi to ensure that those lawmakers who were not named in any FIRs were released immediately.

“We cannot allow this kind of behavior in parliament. Those members not named in the FIR should be freed at once,” Sadiq instructed the police chief.

Seven PTI parliamentarians remanded

Later in the day, six PTI parliamentarians were remanded by a special anti-terrorism court of Pakistan. They were accused of attacking a police contingent and violating the conditions of the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued for a public rally held by the party this past Sunday.

The members of the National Assembly (MNAs) included Sher Afzal Marwat, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Ahmad Chatha, Naseem Shah, and Aamir Dogar. They were handed over to the police for eight days on charges of terrorism. Party chairman Barrister Gohar was however released.

During the proceedings, the Islamabad Police requested a 14-day physical remand, arguing that the parliamentarians were involved in instigating attacks against the police. Marwat, who is also a Supreme Court advocate, opposed the charges, claiming the allegations were baseless, as media cameras were monitoring them throughout the rally. Despite his defense, the court granted an eight-day physical remand for all six MNAs.

Separately, PTI leader and lawyer Shoaib Shaheen was also produced for a physical remand in the same case, but the court denied the police's request and sent him to judicial custody instead.

The Islamabad police launched a crackdown on the leadership of the incarcerated ex-prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan’s party – the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) – yesterday. Several party officials were arrested for ‘violating the designated route and failing to conclude their Sunday rally on time’.

The arrests have been widely condemned by various political parties and legal bodies, with demands for the immediate release of the detained PTI leaders.

With additional reporting by Aamir Abbasi*