ISLAMABAD: Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas has filed a privilege motion against the Station House Officer (SHO) of Barakahu Police Station, alleging that he was prevented from reaching his residence and subjected to disrespectful treatment by police personnel at a checkpoint in Islamabad.
The motion, submitted to Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani under the Senate Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, accuses Sub-Inspector Naeem-ul-Hassan, the SHO of Barakahu Police Station, of committing a breach of parliamentary privilege.
According to the motion, Abbas was travelling to his residence in Satra Meel, Islamabad, at around 5:30pm on June 29 when he encountered a police blockade at a checkpoint in Barakahu. He stated that the SHO, accompanied by a large contingent of police personnel, approached his vehicle and informed him in what he described as a “rude and discourteous manner” that he would not be allowed to proceed further.
Abbas said he introduced himself as the Opposition Leader in the Senate and explained that his residence was located approximately two kilometres from the checkpoint. However, he alleged that the officer ignored his explanation and failed to extend the courtesy due to a member of Parliament.
“Despite this, 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 motion stated.
The senator argued that the actions of the SHO and accompanying police officials amounted to an obstruction in the discharge of his duties and a gross act of disrespect towards a member of the Senate. He maintained that the incident constituted a breach of the privileges of the House and its members.
Abbas has requested that the matter be referred to the Senate Privileges Committee and that appropriate disciplinary and legal action be initiated against the officer concerned.
The development comes a day after a high-level delegation of the 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). The delegation had announced plans to visit Rawalakot to express solidarity with protesters participating in an ongoing sit-in.
The delegation included Raja Nasir Abbas, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, TTAP spokesperson Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai, and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan.
According to participants, police officials informed the delegation that they had been instructed by senior authorities not to allow them to continue their journey towards AJK. Khokhar had also alleged that Abbas was prevented from reaching his residence and was forced to continue part of the journey on foot after authorities stopped his vehicle.
The Senate Chairman is expected to decide whether the privilege motion will be referred to the Privileges Committee for further examination.
