LAHORE - Terming police misbehavior with Deputy Speaker a perturbing incident not only for the government and the whole house but also for all legislators from across the political divide, Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Parvez Elahi has stressed the need for strengthening privilege committee for timely disposal of complaints.
Chairing PA session after meeting of four-member committee with Punjab Inspector General of Police Shoaib Dastgir, the speaker said that the officials had to set their attitude right and give due respect to members of the biggest provincial legislature in the country.
After a heated debate in the house, Ch Parvez Elahi had constituted a committee headed by him to probe the incident of misbehavior with Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari outside the Chief Minister Secretariat and summoned IGP to the PA on Tuesday. The chair and the other members including Law Minister Raja Basharat, Deputy Speaker and PML-N’s Malik Nadeem Kamran held a meeting with the IGP prior to session.
As the session began one hour and 35 minutes after the scheduled time, the chair shared details of meeting in the house. Ch Parvez Elahi said that the IGP had assured implementing decision of the house committee in letter and spirit.
“We have discussed the issue in detail. Privilege motions of other MPAs also came under discussion. It is not a matter relating to treasury or opposition. It relates to the sanctity of this august house”, the PA speaker said while giving credit of summoning the IGP to the unanimous stance of legislators from across the political divide. He also praised Law Minister for properly conveying the sense of the house to government high-ups. He suggested the Law Minister to identify responsible policemen through CCTV footage. He said misbehavior with Deputy Speaker was not the first incident of its kind.
“There are complaints of police high handedness with opposition’s Taufeeq Butt, Khalil Tahir Sandhu, Ali Hyder Gillani and Umar Tanvir. We need to address all these complaints”, the speaker said while suggesting strengthening privilege committee to avoid such incidents in future. He asked chairman privilege committee to attend all complaints on merit and recommend stringent action against officers violating privilege of elected representatives.
Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari suggested giving exemplary punishment to police officers involved in mistreating elected representatives.