The Aporia
Khan, I. A. (2026, September 26). Naqvi assails PTI's 'version of equality before law' after KP IG told to ensure speaker's approval for any MPA's arrest. Dawn. https://www.dawn.com/news/2032833/naqvi-assails-ptis-version-of-equality-before-law-after-kp-ig-told-to-ensure-speakers-approval-for-any-mpas-arrest
Khan, Iftikhar A. “Naqvi assails PTI's 'version of equality before law' after KP IG told to ensure speaker's approval for any MPA's arrest.” Dawn, 26 Sept. 2026, https://www.dawn.com/news/2032833/naqvi-assails-ptis-version-of-equality-before-law-after-kp-ig-told-to-ensure-speakers-approval-for-any-mpas-arrest.
Khan, Iftikhar A. “Naqvi assails PTI's 'version of equality before law' after KP IG told to ensure speaker's approval for any MPA's arrest.” Dawn, September 26, 2026. https://www.dawn.com/news/2032833/naqvi-assails-ptis-version-of-equality-before-law-after-kp-ig-told-to-ensure-speakers-approval-for-any-mpas-arrest.
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Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly criticized the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government's decision to require the assembly speaker’s permission before arresting or detaining any member of the provincial assembly (MPA). On Saturday, in a post on X, he shared a letter from the KP Assembly Secretariat dated Friday to the KP Inspector General (IG), Zulfiqar Hameed, reminding him of Section 11 of the KP Provincial Assembly Act 2026. This section mandates that police must obtain approval from the speaker before arresting an MPA accused of a criminal offense.
Naqvi questioned the logic, asking rhetorically if police would need to wait for the speaker's permission even in cases where an MPA commits serious crimes like murder. The KP government approved the KP Police Act 2026 the day before Naqvi’s post, which links the IG's decisions to government approval and not just law enforcement discretion.
This move by the KP government has raised concerns about selective application of the law, undermining principles of equality before the law and judicial independence. The context includes previous controversial laws passed in April regarding lifetime blue passports and arms licenses that were withdrawn after public criticism.