- NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq condemns behaviour.
- Ijaz Ahmed briefs speaker on Adiala incident.
- Interior ministry asked to ensure journalist’s protection.
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) on Monday adopted a resolution condemning PTI founder Imran Khan’s alleged mistreatment of senior journalist Ijaz Ahmed during court proceedings at Adiala Jail.
The episode began when members of the Parliamentary Reporters Association of Pakistan (PRA) walked out of the National Assembly proceedings to protest against the mistreatment of Ahmed.
The senior journalist had informed NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and other parliamentary leaders about the exchange, saying that the PTI founder used abusive language against him when he asked a question.
In response, the PRA Election Committee, led by Chairman Tariq Sameer, submitted a formal request to the speaker for a walkout during the assembly session. The committee’s senior members pressed their demand in a meeting with the NA speaker.
Speaker Sadiq, while referring the matter to Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, said such behaviour towards journalists was condemnable. He added that levelling accusations and issuing threats was a hallmark of the PTI founder.
Later in the proceedings, the House suspended rules to allow the resolution to be tabled. The resolution instructed the interior ministry to provide security to Ahmed and directed the Cybercrime Wing to act against those issuing threats.
It noted that not only was the journalist subjected to inappropriate remarks at Adiala Jail, but he also received threats on social media afterwards.
The resolution stated: “This House condemns the inappropriate language and threats directed at the journalist in Adiala Jail.”
Meanwhile, PTI lawmakers opposed the move.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali said the party respected the media’s role in raising public issues and had stood with journalists on the matter of Pakistan Electronic Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) as well.
He maintained that PTI did not know what exactly happened inside the jail and recalled that when Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur faced issues, the party had also taken its case to the media.
‘Unfortunate’
Speaking on the NA floor, Law Minister Tarar condemned the incident and called it “unfortunate”. He criticised the online campaign against the senior journalist in which threatening remarks were made, saying that such actions could put lives at risk.
“This House must set an example of tolerance. Politics and civility go together, and disagreements should be resolved through dialogue, not abuse,” he said.
The minister warned that intimidation instead of debate could weaken democracy. He urged the government and allied parties to act immediately to address the journalist’s concerns.
He also asked lawmakers from all parties to help resolve the issue, stressing that press freedom and respect for journalists were vital for democracy.
Meanwhile, PPP leader Shazia Marri also condemned the mistreatment of the journalists and the online harassment campaign against him. She described the incident as a “serious matter” that needed urgent attention.
She said Ahmed was a respected journalist with decades of experience and a strong record of professional ethics. “We may not always agree with his reporting, but his integrity has always been clear,” she said.
She raised concerns over the circulation of his picture on social media, along with calls for hate. “This is irresponsible. Journalism is not a crime. Media workers must be given the space to perform their duties responsibly,” she added.
