Detained lawmakers brought to capital for casting votes

Published March 3, 2021
In this file photo, PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif, accompanied by party leader Khawaja Asif, speaks to the media. — AP
In this file photo, PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif, accompanied by party leader Khawaja Asif, speaks to the media. — AP

ISLAMABAD: Detained leaders of the opposition parties were brought to the capital on Tuesday to cast their votes in the Senate elections and kept in separate buildings which were declared sub-jail, Dawn has learnt.

They included Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and MNA Khawaja Mohammad Asif of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party MNA from Sindh Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah and MNA from South Waziristan Ali Wazir.

In separate letters, the Islamabad chief commissioner was reminded of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order regarding production of the detained lawmakers and their presence during the voting on Wednesday (today).

One of the letters written by an official associated with Shehbaz Sharif stated: “Being a chronic patient of back pain, the hectic long distance drive from Lahore to Islamabad and same day return will take a detrimental toll on his health. It is, therefore, requested to bring him on Tuesday to his house No. 26 at Ministerial Enclave.”

Residences of Shehbaz, Khawaja Asif, Khursheed Shah and Ali Wazir declared sub-jail

The letter written on behalf of Khawaja Asif quoted an associated professor of ophthalmology and Mayo Hospital chief executive office as saying: “He is admitted to Eye Unit and operated for left phacoemulsification with intra ocular lens implantation and presently his condition is satisfactory and there is no objection on his travelling but due to his eye surgery, he is not advised to travel too much in a single stretch in a single day. It is, therefore, requested to bring him to Islamabad on Tuesday to his residence 302-F, Parliament Lodges.”

Both the letters stated that the houses of Mr Sharif and Mr Asif should be declared sub-jail and they be brought back to Lahore after the Senate polling.

In response to the letters, Chief Commissioner Amir Ahmed Ali has declared the houses of both PML-N leaders as sub-jail till the conclusion of polling and asked the capital police for guard duty outside the residences.

Similarly, Room No. 1 and Room No. 6 in Sindh House, Islamabad, have been declared sub-jail for Syed Khursheed Shah and Ali Wazir, respectively.

“The IGP Prison Sindh shall nominate the officers/officials who shall be responsible for the supervision and administration of the sub-jail, while IGP Sindh shall nominate the officers/officials who shall be responsible for their [Mr Shah and Mr Wazir] security during their movement,” separate orders issued by the Sindh home department said.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Short-changed?
Updated 24 Nov, 2024

Short-changed?

As nations continue to argue, the international community must recognise that climate finance is not merely about numbers.
Overblown ‘threat’
24 Nov, 2024

Overblown ‘threat’

ON the eve of the PTI’s ‘do or die’ protest in the federal capital, there seemed to be little evidence of the...
Exclusive politics
24 Nov, 2024

Exclusive politics

THERE has been a gradual erasure of the voices of most marginalised groups from Pakistan’s mainstream political...
Counterterrorism plan
Updated 23 Nov, 2024

Counterterrorism plan

Lacunae in our counterterrorism efforts need to be plugged quickly.
Bullish stock market
23 Nov, 2024

Bullish stock market

NORMALLY, stock markets rise gradually. In recent months, however, Pakistan’s stock market has soared to one ...
Political misstep
Updated 23 Nov, 2024

Political misstep

To drag a critical ally like Saudi Arabia into unfounded conspiracies is detrimental to Pakistan’s foreign policy.