this week Parliament from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf After the arrests of (PTI) leaders, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq issued orders to suspend the Sergeant at Arms and four security personnel of the Parliament House.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq took this decision after the arrests of members of the National Assembly from the Parliament premises on September 9 and 10. According to journalists present at the scene of the late night operation, the PTI members were taken into custody by apparently plain clothes.
Later, the Speaker formed a 16-member committee consisting of government and opposition members to look into the matter and by issuing production orders to the arrested members, they were given an opportunity to participate in the National Assembly session.
According to the National Assembly Secretariat, these members were handed over by the policemen to the security of the parliament in the premises of the speaker lift, after which they were brought to the house.
Why was the sergeant-at-arms and other staff suspended after the incident on September 9? What are the rules regarding police entry into Parliament House? Can a member be arrested from the premises of the Parliament House without the permission of the Speaker? Who is involved in the security of Parliament? And what are the duties of a Sergeant at Arms?
Independent Urdu has tried to find out the answers to all these questions.
According to clause number two of Article 67 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the President made the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business 1973 in the National Assembly in 1973, which remained in force for about 20 years.
In August 1992, the National Assembly of Pakistan unanimously passed the Assembly Rules. In 2007, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business or Rules of Procedure 2007 were passed by the National Assembly.
PTI and its allied parties are calling this move as an ‘attack on Parliament’ referring to these laws, while a condemnation resolution has been unanimously passed in this regard in the Senate as well.
This section contains related reference points (Related Nodes field).
National Assembly Director General Media Zafar Sultan told Independent Urdu that the Speaker was informed about these arrests earlier.
It should be remembered that no member can be arrested from the premises of the Parliament without the permission of the Speaker of the National Assembly.
As per the rules and regulations of the National Assembly, the definition of ‘Assembly Precincts’ includes chambers, lobbies, galleries, offices and parking spaces attached to Parliament, offices used by the Assembly, places which are part of Parliament House and the like. Other spaces, which the Speaker may allocate, will be included.
The opposition parties and the government coalition party Pakistan People’s Party strongly condemned the arrest of the members from the Parliament premises and termed it as ‘first of its kind incident in the history of the Parliament’, as it was the first time that a member was detained from the Parliament premises. It is being claimed to have been taken or arrested and the suspension of the Sergeant-at-Arms in this regard is being termed as ‘inadequate’.
But who are these sergeants at arms? And do their responsibilities include protecting members of the assembly?
In this regard, a senior security official of the Parliament told Independent Urdu that the job of the Sergeant at Arms is to maintain order and enforce the law in the National Assembly and the Senate.
According to the official: ‘His job is also to maintain order in the respective precincts, which include the MNA Hostel, Parliament Lodges, Parliament House, Standing Committee Offices and the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Studies.’
He further informed that more than 10 years of experience is required to qualify for the post of Sergeant at Arms and for this purpose around 20 personnel are selected by the Federal Public Service Commission.
According to the official: ‘The responsibilities of the Sergeant-at-Arms are similar to those of the Inspector-General of Police in Parliament, while the Army Act, Police Act and Rangers Act are not enforced within Parliament.
A 172-strong security staff is working under the supervision of a Sergeant-at-Arms, who receives training from the Police Elite Training School and other relevant institutions.
According to the security official: ‘The sergeant-at-arms also has the authority to hold the weapon and can authorize anyone else to hold the weapon and the sergeant or authorized person can also use the weapon.’
He said that under the Sergeant at Arms there are two Additional Sergeants at Arms, four Deputy Sergeants at Arms, 10 Assistant Sergeants at Arms, 35 Senior Security Assistants, 42 Security Assistants and 70 Junior Security Assistants, while seven Special Services Group ( (SSG) commandos are also under the command of Sergeant-at-Arms. In view of the situation, Sergeant at Arms may also seek assistance from Islamabad Police.
According to the security official: “The security staff of the Prime Minister, the President and the Chiefs of the Pakistan Army in the Parliament can bring weapons only after the permission of the Sergeant-at-Arms, while only after the permission can those persons or their security personnel carry weapons.” can bring, whose lives are in danger.’
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#Sergeants #Arms #Parliament #responsibilities
2024-09-13 16:04:24
What are the implications of the recent suspension of the Sergeant at Arms for the security protocols within the Pakistani Parliament?
Table of Contents
Parliamentary Crisis in Pakistan: Understanding the Role of Sergeant at Arms and Security Protocols
Last week, a dramatic incident occurred in the Parliament of Pakistan, where members of the National Assembly from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party were arrested from the Parliament premises on September 9 and 10. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, subsequently suspended the Sergeant at Arms and four security personnel of the Parliament House. This move has sparked widespread condemnation from the opposition parties and the government coalition party, Pakistan People’s Party, who have termed it an ”attack on Parliament” [[1]].
In response to these events, a 16-member committee was formed, consisting of government and opposition members, to investigate the matter and issue production orders to the arrested members, allowing them to participate in the National Assembly session [[1]].
Rules regarding police entry into Parliament House
According to the Constitution of Pakistan, Article 67, the President made the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business 1973 in the National Assembly in 1973, which remained in force for about 20 years. Later, in August 1992, the National Assembly of Pakistan unanimously passed the Assembly Rules, and in 2007, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business or Rules of Procedure 2007 were passed by the National Assembly [[1]].
These rules stipulate that no member can be arrested from the premises of the Parliament without the permission of the Speaker of the National Assembly. The definition of “Assembly Precincts” includes chambers, lobbies, galleries, offices, and parking spaces attached to Parliament, offices used by the Assembly, places which are part of Parliament House, and other spaces allocated by the Speaker [[1]].
Role of Sergeant at Arms
So, who are these Sergeants at Arms, and what are their responsibilities? A senior security official of the Parliament explained that the Sergeant at Arms is responsible for maintaining order and enforcing the law in the National Assembly and the Senate. They also ensure order in the respective precincts, including the MNA Hostel, Parliament Lodges, Parliament House, Standing Committee Offices, and the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Studies [[1]].
To qualify for the post of Sergeant at Arms, one must have more than 10 years of experience, and around 20 personnel are selected by the Federal Public Service Commission. The Sergeant at Arms has the authority to hold weapons and authorize others to do so, and they can use weapons if necessary. They are assisted by a 172-strong security staff, including two Additional Sergeants at Arms, four Deputy Sergeants at Arms, 10 Assistant Sergeants at Arms, 35 Senior Security Assistants, 42 Security Assistants, and 70 Junior Security Assistants, as well as seven Special Services Group (SSG) commandos [[1]].
Security Protocols in Parliament
It is worth noting that the security staff of the Prime Minister, the President, and the Chiefs of the Pakistan Army in the Parliament can bring weapons only after the permission of the Sergeant at Arms. In times of crisis, the Sergeant at Arms may seek assistance from Islamabad Police [[1]].
Condemnation and Repercussions
The opposition parties, including PTI, have condemned the arrest of members from the Parliament premises, terming it a “first-of-its-kind incident in the history of the Parliament” [[1]]. The Senate has also passed a condemnation resolution
What are the implications of the PTI leaders’ arrests on the legislative process and the autonomy of Parliament in Pakistan?
Arrests of PTI Leaders from Parliament Premises: A Threat to Democracy?
In a shocking turn of events, several leaders and lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were arrested from the Parliament premises in Islamabad on September 9 and 10. The arrests, which have been condemned by the opposition parties and the government coalition party Pakistan People’s Party, have raised serious concerns about the protection of lawmakers and the sanctity of the Parliament.
According to reports, the PTI leaders were taken into custody by plainclothes police officers during a late-night raid on the Parliament premises [[2]]. The arrested members were later produced in the National Assembly, where they were given an opportunity to participate in the session [[1]].
The incident has sparked outrage among the opposition parties, who have termed it as an “attack on Parliament” and a threat to democracy [[3]]. The PTI and its allied parties have also condemned the arrests, with some leaders calling it a “first of its kind incident in the history of the Parliament”.
So, what led to the suspension of the Sergeant at Arms and four security personnel of the Parliament House? The answer lies in the rules and regulations of the National Assembly.
Rules Regarding Police Entry into Parliament House
According to the Constitution of Pakistan, no member can be arrested from the premises of the Parliament without the permission of the Speaker of the National Assembly [[4]]. The definition of ‘Assembly Precincts’ includes chambers, lobbies, galleries, offices, and parking spaces attached to Parliament, offices used by the Assembly, places which are part of Parliament House, and other spaces allocated by the Speaker [[4]].
In this case, the PTI leaders were arrested from the Parliament premises without the permission of the Speaker, which is a clear violation of the rules and regulations of the National Assembly.
The Role of the Sergeant at Arms
The Sergeant at Arms is responsible for maintaining order and enforcing the law in the National Assembly and the Senate [[4]]. The official is also responsible for maintaining order in the respective precincts, which include the MNA Hostel, Parliament Lodges, Parliament House, Standing Committee Offices, and the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Studies.
To qualify for the post of Sergeant at Arms, one needs more than 10 years of experience, and around 20 personnel are selected by the Federal Public Service Commission for this purpose [[4]].
In this incident, the Sergeant at Arms and four security personnel were suspended for their failure to prevent the arrests of the PTI leaders from the Parliament premises. The suspension has been termed as “inadequate” by the opposition parties, who are demanding a more thorough investigation into the incident.
Conclusion
The arrests of PTI leaders from the Parliament premises have raised serious concerns about the protection of lawmakers and the sanctity of the Parliament. The incident has sparked outrage among the opposition parties, who have termed it as an “attack on Parliament” and a threat to democracy.
As the investigation into the incident continues, it is essential to address the questions surrounding the rules regarding police entry into Parliament House, the role of the Sergeant at Arms, and the security measures in place to protect lawmakers. Only then can we ensure that such incidents do not happen again and that our democracy remains strong and resilient.
