In an important development, the government and opposition reached a consensus on the proposal for a “Charter of Parliament,” while a 16-member committee has been formed to oversee parliamentary proceedings more effectively.
The motion, put forward by Information Minister Atta Tarar, was approved by the Lower House of the Parliament.
The committee is tasked with submitting a detailed fact-finding report on the incidents of September 9 to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq, as soon as possible.
Speaking in the assembly, the minister assured that the committee would have equal representation from both the government and opposition.
He also addressed the recent concerns about arrests made inside the Parliament building, clarifying that no individuals were detained within the premises and video evidence supporting this claim is available in the Speaker’s office.
“In the past, Asad Qaiser was frequently criticized from here. Now, we are providing transparent evidence that no one was taken from within the house,” Tarar stated.
Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of the National Assembly, emphasized his commitment to uncovering the truth behind the September 9 incident, asserting that it is crucial to maintain the honor of Parliament.
“The demand from government whips was that they represent two-thirds, while the opposition is one-third. The opposition must have its voice here in Parliament,” Sadiq remarked.
In response to a security lapse on the night of the September 9 incident, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq took swift action by suspending Sergeant-at-Arms Ashfaq Ashraf along with four other officials for four months due to their negligence in ensuring the security of Parliament.
A four-member committee has also been set up to investigate the security failures in detail. Additionally, five Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials, including two electricians involved in cutting off the power supply to the Parliament House on the night of the incident, were suspended for their role in the disruption.
