- Nadra ordered to identify “attackers” via footage, initiate legal action.
- FIR to be registered to take further action against responsible: Naqvi.
- Says cases to be referred to cabinet for cancellation of citizenship.
After the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a protest against former CJP Qazi Faez Isa in London, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday vowed stern action, including cancellation of Pakistani CNICs and passports, against “attackers who targeted” ex-chief justice and high commissioner’s vehicle.
Ex-CJP Isa faced a huge crowd of PTI protesters in the UK capital on Tuesday night where he arrived to attend a prestigious event organised by The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple for his elevation as Callee after he relinquished charge as the country’s top judge.
Reacting to the “attack”, the interior minister ordered the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to immediately identify the “attackers” via the incident’s footage and initiate legal action against them.
“Further action will be taken after registering a first information report (FIR) in Pakistan. The government will cancel computerised national identity cards (CNICs) and passports of the attackers,” Naqvi announced .
He added that no one would be allowed to carry out such attacks and the authorities would not remain silent on the regretful incident as the vehicle of the Pakistani high commissioner was also “attacked”.
Elaborating on the future course of action, Naqvi said that the government would begin the process of canceling the citizenship of those attackers, and the relevant cases would be forwarded to the cabinet.
The interior minister expressed resentment over the lack of adequate security arrangements and questioned why security was not in place despite threats to ex-CJP Isa.
The PTI supporters, led by former prime minister Imran Khan’s ex-special assistant Sayed Zulfi Bukhari and former member of National Assembly (MNA) Maleeka Bokhari, staged the demonstration to condemn The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple for hosting him at the dinner.
At the time of Isa’s arrival, a significant police presence secured the venue’s entrance as numerous protestors holding placards shouted slogans against the ex-CJP.
The demonstration was also joined by British lawyer Barrister Mark McDonald, who also criticised the Middle Temple’s invitation to the former chief justice, asserting it should not occur again.
The Middle Temple is one of four historic and esteemed legal institutions known as the Inns of Court in London. These institutions provide training to law students and grant licences for entry into the legal profession.
The former chief justice became the first Pakistani judge to get elected as a bencher and be invited to the Middle Temple, a prestigious legal institution in the United Kingdom (UK).
It may be noted that the Middle Temple is where Isa studied law. His father was also a graduate of the institute.
