Noted TV anchor Iqrarul Hasan created a storm in Sindh Assembly by exposing the security loopholes. However, members of the provincial government are targeting Hasan rather than addressing the core issue of providing security at the legislator. In a sting operation, the ARY News anchor entered the Sindh Assembly premises on Friday, with one of his team members carrying a pistol without any security checks.
Hasan arrested from Sindh Assembly
After entering the hall, Hasan presented the gun to the speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, which alarmed lawmakers. Sindh Interior Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal requested the speaker to order the arrest of Hasan and his crew members. The speaker ruled that nobody, including journalists, will be allowed in the future to enter the assembly premises without undergoing security checks.
Later, the security personnel encircled the Sar-e-Aam host and his crew members, and took them out of the hall. Hasan and his team members were arrested and taken to the Arambagh Police Station. It has sparked a huge debate with many praising Iqrarul Hasan for raising such a critical issue through his sting operation. Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal has constituted a committee headed by DIG South to probe the matter. Siyal also suspended the Sindh Assembly security in-charge.
All members #SindhAssembly should be thankful to Allah, that he was only an innocent journalist not a terrorist, Release him #WeSupportIqrar
— Suhail Munawwar (@suhailmunawwar) April 29, 2016
Shame shame #SindhAssembly https://t.co/i3PZs3v7wY
— Rimsha Rani (@rimsha_rani7) April 29, 2016
Give two bottles of perfume and you can get in
During a media interaction, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah avoided queries about the arrest of the anchor. According to ARY News, when Hasan and his team reached the assembly and sought permission to enter the hall, the security guard asked for a favor. One of the crew members gave him two bottles of perfume and he let them in. Not only that, the security guard told them, “We will let you sit in the gallery not just for 15 minutes, but for an hour.”
Opposition leaders criticized the Sindh government and those responsible for security. The Leader of Opposition and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Khawaja Izharul Hasan raised questions about the poor security arrangements for the assembly building “which is already receiving threats from banned organizations.” MQM leader Farooq Sattar demanded that Iqrarul Hasan be awarded with Sitara-e-Jurrat.
