News Desk |
Four days after an alleged attack on the Pakistan Army check post in Boyya area of North Waziristan, the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader and Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Mohsin Dawar was reportedly arrested. Reports suggest that the PTM leader was arrested from North Waziristan, however, the family sources told The Express Tribune that Dawar had voluntarily surrendered.
The family sources said that a Jirga was convened on the matter and the MNA was advised to surrender and defend himself in a court of law. The development has come in the wake of the May 26 incident in which the Pakistan Army accused a group of people – led by MNAs Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar – of assaulting the Kharqamar check post in Boyya, North Waziristan.
The FIR said the protesters hurled stones at the army post and that armed supporters of Wazir and Dawar attacked the security post and opened fire.
According to the Army’s media wing, Dawar and Wazir — both PTM leaders — were leading the group which attacked the check post. “They wanted to exert pressure for the release of suspected terrorists’ facilitator arrested the other day,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had said. “In exchange of fire, a soldier of the Pak Army embraced shahadat,” the ISPR said.
MNA Dawar and the PTM leadership, however, had denied that the group opened fire and accused the Army of initiating violence. Following the clash, Wazir and eight others were arrested and later remanded into Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) custody while Dawar, who had received minor injuries during the Kharqamar incident, was declared “at large”.
Read more: Murad Saeed blames Mohsin Dawar for fueling attack on army check…
An FIR was registered against the lawmakers and seven others under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, read with Section 302 (murder), 324 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 120b (criminal conspiracy), and 109 (abetment to an offence) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The FIR said the protesters hurled stones at the army post and that armed supporters of Wazir and Dawar attacked the security post and opened fire.
The family sources said that a Jirga was convened on the matter and the MNA was advised to surrender and defend himself in a court of law.
Firdous terms attack on check post unfortunate
Meanwhile, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had termed the attack on the check post unfortunate and stressed that nobody in any way would be allowed to undermine the country’s image, dignity, national identity and national interest. Speaking to different television channels, she said the government would take action against the attackers as per law and the Constitution.
Read more: SP Tahir Dawar case: Politics over murder?
HRCP calls for formation of parliamentary commission
Following the incident, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) called for the formation of a parliamentary commission to “establish the truth”. The HRCP expressed alarm over the use of military force and said such actions “will be detrimental to the interests of the country and its citizens.”
MNA Dawar and the PTM leadership, however, had denied that the group opened fire and accused the Army of initiating violence.
“This [May 26 incident] will further escalate tensions between PTM supporters and security institutions, consequently leading to a permanent wedge between the people of tribal districts and the state. There must be a serious attempt to genuinely address the grievances of the local population, which the PTM has been articulating peacefully for well over a year,” the rights body said in a statement.
Read more: No headway in SP Dawar’s murder investigation
Bilawal demands production orders for MNA Ali Wazir
Following Ali Wazir’s arrest, the Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demanded National Assembly speaker to issue production orders for the arrested MNA. The PPP chairman said Wazir’s production orders should be issued so that he could attend Friday’s session of the National Assembly and present his viewpoint.
According to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007, “When a member is arrested on a criminal charge or for a criminal offence or is sentenced to imprisonment by a court of law or is detained under an executive order, the committing judge, magistrate or executive authority, as the case may be, shall immediately intimate such fact to the Speaker indicating the reasons for the arrest, detention or conviction, as the case may be, as also the place of detention or imprisonment of the member in the appropriate form set out in the Fourth Schedule.”
The speaker should then inform the members of parliament about the development, according to Rule 105.