ISLAMABAD
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said on Friday that he has issued clear directives for the confiscation of mobile phones from media personnel, social media influencers and others if they are found making videos of lawmakers when they are arriving or leaving the Parliament premises.
The directives were issued citing ‘security threats’, with the promise that strict action would be taken against media personnel, influencers, guests, or any individuals if they were found stopping lawmakers and making their videos within the Parliament premises.
“We have talked to the interior ministry as well as IG Islamabad; we are going to take strict action,” the NA speaker said while confirming that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s security concerns were “valid” before adding that “we have also confirmed the security threats”.
”Surprising as it may seem, the Parliament building is located in the Red Zone where security is always on alert as many key buildings, including the Supreme Court, PM House, and the Presidency are located.”
It is also the same area where the PTI had staged its marathon sit-in in 2014 and where the JUI-F forcefully staged a rally during the PML-N-led PDM government’s tenure.
The measures to secure parliament and lawmakers have come after certain individuals belonging to the PTI entered the Parliament’s galleries and started sloganeering.
Subsequently, a reporter from a media house was accused of allegedly making a video of the proceedings from the press gallery and running it on television, which angered the speaker further.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has been vocal regarding the issue and repeatedly urged the speaker to take strict action, stating that his portfolio also allows him to specify security threats.
