Riyasat-i-Madina or Law of the Jungle? Naqvi Exposes PTI's 'Equality' Farce
In a stirring rebuke that echoes the conscience of the nation, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has torn into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's brazen attempt to place its lawmakers above the law. The minister's righteous anger was ignited by a provincial directive demanding the speaker's prior approval before any Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) can be arrested, a move that strikes at the very heart of justice and equality.
What did the KP government order regarding MPA arrests?
The KP Assembly Secretariat issued a letter to Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed, invoking Section 11 of the KP Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Act 2026. This contentious provision mandates that police must seek the speaker's permission before arresting or detaining any lawmaker on criminal charges. The directive follows the provincial cabinet's approval of the controversial KP Police Act 2026, a law that critics say guts the police command structure and bends the knee to political convenience.
How did Mohsin Naqvi respond to this 'extraordinary' law?
Taking to X, the interior minister delivered a scathing verdict that has resonated across the nation.
“Now in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, even if an MPA is accused of a criminal offence, the police must first seek the speaker's permission before arresting him. What next? If an MPA kills a person, will the police first wait for the speaker's permission to arrest him? What an extraordinary version of 'equality before law'. Well done. Keep it up! And this is Riyasat-i-Madina?”Naqvi's words cut deep, juxtaposing the PTI's hollow slogan of a 'State of Madina' against the grim reality of a province where the powerful are shielded from accountability.
What does the controversial Section 11 actually say?
The letter reproduced the section in full, revealing a legal labyrinth designed to protect the privileged. It states that any magistrate or executive authority must seek prior permission from the speaker, providing reasons in a prescribed form, before arresting or detaining a member. Furthermore, the speaker can demand police reports or challans and even call for inquiries at his discretion, effectively turning the assembly's presiding officer into a gatekeeper of criminal justice.
Why is this a threat to Pakistan's constitutional framework?
The development unfolds against a backdrop of intense debate, with the interior ministry rightly arguing that the provincial legislation violates the constitutional framework and dangerously weakens police command at a time when KP stands on the frontline of the fight against terrorism. While the PTI cries foul over detentions of its workers ahead of a rescheduled Oct 4 protest, its own government in Peshawar is busy erecting legal fortresses around its lawmakers, a hypocrisy that has not escaped the nation's notice.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi's plea for bureaucrats to disobey illegal orders rings hollow when his own cabinet sanctions laws that subvert justice. The message from Islamabad is clear: no citizen, least of all an elected representative, stands above the law. The pursuit of a true Riyasat-i-Madina demands accountability, not immunity. The nation watches, and the nation judges.
