The state and Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement appear to have picked up their cat and mouse game again. MNA Ali Wazir, one of its most famous members, was once again imprisoned after being once more labelled “anti-state.” As the National Assembly ignores Mr. Wazir’s suffering, just like it did during the PTI administration, he faces an uncertain future. Mohsin Dawar and other MNAs argued during the budget session on Monday that Mr. Wazir’s “arrest” should be regarded as “illegal” because it was carried out while the Lower House was still in session and without the knowledge of the National Assembly speaker. They referred to a law that was just recently passed and gives politicians this protection.
In accordance with a production order issued by the NA speaker, the same statute also authorises Mr. Wazir to attend the budget session. Unfortunately, Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf seemed to disregard the protests entirely and carry on.Many members of Mr. Wazir’s family perished in terrorist assaults. He continues to be a vociferous opponent of Pakistan’s inadequate security measures and frequently denounces official excesses, such as those that have occurred recently.
According to official sources, Wazir was given over to the police in the FIR that was filedagainst him after being taken into custody and sent to the Miranshah headquarters.You might remember that the Peshawar branch of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cybercrime Circle opened an investigation into Wazir and PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen for allegedly using slanderous language and disseminating false information about the organisations.Both leaders were required to appear before the inquiry agency on June 23. For the past few days, Wazir’s arrest had been the top priority for the police and security officers.
After more than two years behind bars, the PTM leader was freed from a jail in Karachi earlier in February. He has been detained since December 2020 on multiple sedition charges.MNA Mohsin Dawar asserted that Wazir had been kidnapped and taken to a secret place during the National Assembly session.He demanded a thorough investigation into his arrest.Speaker Sahib (Raja Pervaiz Ashraf) said, “There is no indication regarding his location. We received information that our MNA Ali Wazir was arrested near a check station in North Waziristan early this morning.
Dawar claimed that Wazir’s companions, who were present with him at the time of the arrest, were likewise unaware of the latter’s whereabouts.However, a case against him has been filed at the FIA’s Cybercrime Circle in Peshawar, he insisted. “Apparently, according to what is being run on social media, Wazir was arrested in North Waziristan,” he said.As per Dawar, the Constitution and the lawRecalling that the lower house recently passed a law that required the speaker’s approval before taking a legislator into custody, he requested Ashraf to carry out an investigation into Wazir’s arrest and determine his whereabouts.
“The session is underway but permission was not taken from the speaker… this then means that this is not an arrest, but abduction,” Dawar added.
Separately, in a tweet, Dawar said Wazir’s arrest proved that there was no rule of law in the country.“He has been abducted. His whereabouts remain unknown. Speaker NA was not notified of his arrest,” the MNA added.
