Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi vowed to take stern measures, including cancelling the Pakistani CNICs and passports of those protested by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in London against former Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and the vehicle of the Pakistani High Commissioner.
On Tuesday night, PTI protesters confronted former CJP Isa’s car as he arrived at an event organized by The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple to celebrate his elevation as Callee after retiring as the country’s top judge.
In response to the protest, Naqvi directed the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to use the incident’s footage to identify the attackers promptly and initiate legal proceedings against them. He stated, “Further action will follow, including registering a first information report (FIR) in Pakistan. The government will also cancel the computerized national identity cards (CNICs) and passports of those involved.”
Naqvi emphasized that the government would not tolerate such attacks and would act decisively against those compromising the safety of its officials. He further mentioned that steps would be taken to potentially revoke the attackers’ citizenship, with cases to be considered by the cabinet.
Expressing his concerns, the Interior Minister criticized the security arrangements at the event, questioning why adequate security was not in place despite known threats to Isa.
The protest, called for by PTI’s UK chapter leaders, including Sahibzada Jahangir, Jahanzeb Khan, Zulfi Bukhari, and Azhar Mashwani, saw about 80 participants and concluded peacefully. However, around ten activists lingered, attempting to halt Isa’s car, banging on it, and trying to access Isa and his wife Sarina, three hours post-protest.
As the vehicle with a diplomatic number plate left the Temple at around 10:20 pm, Shayan Ali led demonstrators in trying to stop it while they chanted slogans against Isa. Mohammad Faisal, the Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK, stated that authorities would register a case against the attackers, condemned the unfortunate incident, and promised diplomatic actions against those involved.
Shayan Ali defended the protest by citing the UK’s Human Rights Act, which protects the rights to protest and assembly. He argued that the Pakistani government should not engage in transnational repression.
The demonstration also caught the attention of British lawyer Barrister Mark McDonald, who criticized the Middle Temple for inviting Isa and suggested that such an invitation should not occur again. The Middle Temple, an institution where Isa and his father studied law, is one of the four historic Inns of Court in London, dedicated to training law students and granting licenses for the legal profession.
