Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar on Monday ordered registration of first information report (FIR) against the bodyguard of ex-premier Nawaz Sharif who assaulted a private television channel cameraman in the premises of the Parliament.
The speaker also banned politicians and lawmakers from bringing their security guards inside the Parliament's premises in future. "No matter how big a leader is, they should leave their security protocol outside the Parliament," the speaker said shortly after the incident was brought into his notice.
The cameraman of Samaa TV was violently assaulted by a security guard of Nawaz Sharif's protocol. The incident took place as Sharif was departing from the Parliament House after chairing a meeting of senior PML-N leaders.
Syed Wajid Ali, cameraman, was shoved to the ground first by a security guard for allegedly coming in the way of Nawaz Sharif, while another guard of the protocol kicked him squarely in the face, lying him unconscious. The cameraman was rushed to the hospital. According to doctors, the victim sustained injuries on his lip, where he was administered three stitches, and on his head. The doctors said the cameraman is out of danger but he will be kept under observation for at least a day.
Journalists and cameramen protested against the incident, while the PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident and promised to cooperate in the investigations. They vowed to continue their protest until the arrest of the security guard involved in the episode.
Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry and Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi also took notice of the incident and directed police to record statements of the witnesses and file the FIR.
PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb called on the injured cameraman Ali in Polyclinic Hospital in Islamabad and said, "We will take action against the guard."
She said that Nawaz had left the Parliament when the attack occurred, adding that he found out about it later. "Nawaz Sharif himself called me and informed me about it," she said.
Earlier, co-chairing a meeting of the senior party leadership alongside Shehbaz Sharif at the chamber of the opposition leader in Parliament House, Nawaz said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had failed to turn around the economy and manage the country's other pressing affairs.
Criticising National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Nawaz said the Bureau stood exposed before the nation for selective accountability.
The party decided during the huddle to start a public campaign from December 30 to inform the masses about incompetence of the PTI government. Nawaz Sharif and other senior party leaders would address the rallies and public gatherings.
The consultative meeting also discussed the formation of standing committees in the National Assembly and the prevailing political situation.
PML-N lawmaker Ahsan Iqbal, who heads an 18-member central organising committee of the party, briefed the meeting about measures taken so far for reorganisation of the party and presented his recommendations.