Naqvi slams KP law requiring speaker nod for MPA arrests
Interior minister questions whether police would need speaker approval if a lawmaker were accused of murder, calling it an extraordinary reading of equality before law.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday criticised a proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police law that requires police to obtain the provincial assembly speaker’s permission before arresting a member of the provincial assembly in a criminal case.
In a post on X, Naqvi asked whether police would also have to wait for the speaker’s approval if an MPA were accused of murder. He called the provision an extraordinary version of equality before the law.
His remarks came after the KP Assembly Secretariat sent a letter to the inspector general of police outlining the arrest and detention procedure. Under the procedure, police or another relevant authority must seek the speaker’s permission before arresting an MPA in a criminal case or detaining the lawmaker under an executive order, and must give reasons for the proposed action. The speaker may ask for a police report or challan and, in the public interest, order an inquiry before a challan is submitted to a court. The secretariat directed the IGP to ensure the procedure is followed.
The criticism follows the KP cabinet’s approval on Wednesday of amendments to the provincial police law, after changes were made to address members’ concerns.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry had earlier warned that the amendments could affect police command, discipline and morale, particularly in the fight against terrorism. He said the federal government could challenge the legislation before the Supreme Court. Chaudhry also objected to proposed changes in the powers of the provincial police chief and the transfer of authority over appointments and postings of senior police officers to the provincial government.
The federal government maintains that provincial police legislation must conform to the Constitution and the legal framework governing the Police Service of Pakistan. The KP government has moved forward with the revised law, which seeks changes in police command, administrative powers and accountability mechanisms.
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