MNA and senator seek parliamentary probe into armed visit to Quetta homes

Around 40 armed men visited two family homes in Quetta's Single Housing Scheme on 4 November, kicked doors, climbed boundary walls and photographed the properties, according to two privilege motions filed in Parliament.

MNA Aliya Kamran, who represents NA-326, submitted a motion to the National Assembly, and Senator Kamran Murtaza filed a separate motion in the Senate. Both ask that the incident be investigated and a report presented to the House.

The motions describe the group going first to House D70, a private residence, where it kicked the main gate, climbed the boundary walls and photographed the property, including the electricity meter outside. The noise brought neighbours out of their homes, and some students who tried to film the visitors on their mobile phones were stopped, the motions say.

The group then went to House D22 in the same scheme, where, according to the motions, people accompanying police personnel kicked the doors. Women and children in the house were left frightened.

When family members asked the visitors to identify themselves, they refused to give their names or show identification and said they had come on the instructions of law enforcement agencies, the motions state.

Aliya Kamran's motion names her younger brother Adnan as present at the family home with women and children when he asked the men to identify themselves. The group left after a large number of people gathered.

In her motion, Aliya Kamran said the incident affected her fundamental rights and her privileges as an elected member. She linked it to political differences with the government and described it as an attempt to intimidate and harass her.

She cited Articles 9, 14 and 15 of the Constitution, which cover security of person, dignity and freedom of movement, and argued that intimidating an elected representative over her political views would also affect Parliament's independence and the ability of members to perform their duties freely.

She asked the Speaker to accept the motion, refer it to the National Assembly's Privileges Committee and seek an explanation from the relevant authorities on who the visitors were, under whose authority they acted and what legal grounds supported their actions. She also sought steps to protect her family's safety and the privacy of their homes.

Senator Murtaza's motion asks the Senate to refer the matter to the relevant committee so the incident can be examined and a report presented to the House.

Neither motion carried a response from the Balochistan government or the provincial police, and no authority has so far confirmed who the men were.