Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom Mohammad Faisal on Wednesday told media the High Commission has approached British authorities for action against people who attacked the vehicle of former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa at London’s Middle Temple.
“This was an extremely unfortunate incident. We’ll take it up,” he said, adding any further action would be in accordance with the Pakistani government’s directives.
A day earlier, a group of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters stopped and banged on a car transporting the former chief justice to an even organized by The Honorable Society of the Middle Temple for his elevation to its bench. Isa is the first Pakistani judge to get elected as an ordinary bencher of the esteemed legal institution; previously Justice Ayesha A. Malik was elected an honorary bencher.
After reports emerged of Isa being honored at Middle Temple, the PTI’s U.K. chapter had vowed to protest the decision. A group led by some of the PTI’s leadership then protested outside Middle Temple before dispersing peacefully. However, a small group of 10-12 PTI supporters remained after the protest’s conclusion, attempting to stop Isa’s vehicle, open its doors and banging on it when they could not achieve their goals.
The assault on the car, part of the Pakistan High Commission’s retinue, has attracted the ire of the Government of Pakistan. After clips of the incident went viral on social media, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced stern action for all those responsible, including cancelling their Pakistani identity cards and passports if they possess them. In this regard, the directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to immediately identify the “attackers” and initiate legal action against them.
“Further action will be taken after registering a first information report (FIR) in Pakistan,” he announced. “The government will cancel computerized national identity cards and passports of the attackers,” he added.
In a series of posts on X, one of the accused—Shayan Ali—said the U.K. granted the right to peacefully protest and assembly to the people. He claimed Naqvi’s threat was a form of “transnational repression” aimed at silencing criticism of the incumbent Pakistani government.