FIA to investigate PML-N MPA Sobia’s harassment

Party leader Amir Muqam demands judicial inquiry into incident

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government as well as the Federation have locked horns on the very first day of the chief minister’s oath-taking over the harassment of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Sobia Shahid in the provincial assembly. She was verbally abused by the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters and some of them threw water bottles at her.

The Centre has decided to take up the issue with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) along with the video proof of the incident.

An application has been submitted to the East Cantonment police station against those PTI workers who were involved in the harassment and attack.

Addressing a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, PML-N Provincial President and Senior Leader Amir Muqam said that outlaws were brought to the K-P Assembly by the PTI lawmakers and they did it purposely on the directives of “someone”.

“There is a capacity for 400 guests but the MPAs brought with them 4,000 people who abused Sobia Shahid. This is against the Pakhtun culture and this is politics of terror,” Muqam said, adding that the video footage of all those “outlaws” were present and they would be booked and police action would be taken against them.

“If the police fail to take action against those who are involved, then the case would be referred to the FIA for an impartial inquiry and our party will not be silent on such incidents,” he said.

“We also demand a judicial inquiry into the matter so that those people could be identified who are at the bottom of this whole affair,” he said.

When asked about his comments on the matter a day ago, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said that some “sentimental” workers were involved in it and she (Sobia) should avoid doing those things that hurt the sentiments of PTI workers.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2024.