Seven PTI MPs in detention

LAHORE:

As the government seeks votes from the opposition to push through a constitutional amendment and the Supreme Court's ruling potentially opens floodgates for horse-trading, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari on Saturday raised concerns over the alleged disappearance of seven PTI MNAs and senators

With the ruling coalition gearing up to introduce a constitutional amendment following the SCO summit, the need to rope in members from the opposition, particularly PTI, has never been more pressing.

The urgency is driven by the necessity to ensure the presence of those who have given assurances of support, as the stakes continue to rise.

In a press conference, the provincial information minister claimed that the seven PTI parliamentarians have been abducted.

She presented videos purportedly featuring the families and friends of the missing parliamentarians, who allege they have lost contact with their loved ones. However, she did not present official complaints lodged against the alleged abductions.

The missing PTI parliamentarians include Zain Qureshi - son of Shah Mehmood Qureshi —, Senator Saifullah Abro, Shafqat Hayat Khan, Haji Imtiaz Mandi Bahauddin from Taunsa, Khawaja Sheraz, Javed Iqbal Warraich from Rahim Yar Khan, and Lakhvi from Kasur.

Bukhari asserted, "Those who once cried foul over their people being taken by unknown individuals have now become the captors themselves. These individuals are completely out of touch with their families. This is freedom of speech and democracy turned on its head."

She went on to characterise PTI and the Taliban as two peas in a pod, arguing that both pose serious threats to Pakistan's development and prosperity. "Their agenda is the same; they will be treated as such."