Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas on Tuesday filed a privilege motion in the Upper House against the station house officer (SHO) of the Bhara Kahu Police Station in Islamabad over allegedly “rude and discourteous” conduct.
A day earlier, police had barred a delegation of opposition leaders from proceeding to Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Apart from Abbas, the delegation included Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. They had claimed their visit aimed to express solidarity with the protesters staging a sit-in at Rawalakot.
Speaking to media, Khokhar had alleged police had also barred Abbas from reaching his residence in Bhara Kahu by car, forcing him to continue on foot. In the privilege motion, Abbas claimed he had informed police at the checkpoint he was traveling to his home but they had refused his car entry. “Instead, he [SHO] continued to behave in an insulting and disrespectful manner,” he said, accusing police of obstructing the “discharge of my duties” and disrespecting a senator.
“Such conduct constitutes a breach of the privileges of the House and its member,” he said, demanding the incident’s referral to the Privileges Committee and initiation of legal and disciplinary action against the police officer.
On Monday, the opposition delegation staged a token sit-in for around two hours after being barred from traveling to Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Khokhar told media the sit-in had been wrapped up to restore the normal flow of traffic, as it was causing problems for ordinary citizens. He further alleged police had said they were ordered to prevent the opposition members from entering Pakistan-administered Kashmir.