Landon-(Special Correspondent): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) UK leader Shayan Ali and his mother, Sadaf Mumtaz Malik, led a violent protest targeting former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, outside the Middle Temple in London. The incident took place as Justice Isa was leaving the venue after an event honoring him following his retirement.
The protest was organized by PTI UK to object to the Middle Temple’s decision to induct Justice Isa as a bencher. As his car, provided by the Pakistan High Commission, exited the venue around 10:20 PM, Shayan Ali, along with his mother and others, attacked the vehicle by kicking and banging on it. Those involved in the protest included Aisha Ali Qureshi, Sadia Faheem, Faheem Khan, Noman Hussain, and Ijaz Ali, according to diplomatic sources.
In a video that went viral, Shayan Ali claimed, “Justice Qazi Faez Isa lowered his head, but we confronted him. His car hit a protester, and we will file a case against him and the police. This is a violation of human rights. We promised to find him, and we did.”
Aisha Qureshi added, “Qazi Faez was hiding his face. He has shamed Pakistan, and we confronted him today.” Sadia Faheem echoed similar sentiments, questioning why Justice Isa hid his face if he had done nothing wrong.
The PTI activists celebrated after the attack, with Shayan Ali boasting, “We cornered Qazi Faez Isa, the former chief justice, and he hid from us. We will track down those like him wherever they go. Today, we achieved justice for Imran Khan, as it is our democratic right.”
The Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK condemned the incident and announced that legal action would be pursued against those responsible. “This unfortunate incident does not represent Pakistan, and we will take appropriate diplomatic measures against those involved,” said the High Commissioner, labeling the attackers as a group of “hooligans.”
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the attack, directing NADRA to identify the individuals involved using video footage. He stated that legal measures, including blocking national identity cards and passports, would be taken against those responsible. Naqvi added that a case to revoke their citizenship would be presented to the cabinet.
A PTI UK spokesperson distanced the organization from Shayan Ali, stating, “He does not follow PTI discipline, and the protest officially concluded at 7 p.m. His actions afterward are personal and not associated with PTI. He has caused embarrassment to PTI and Imran Khan.”
Justice Qazi Faez Isa recently became the first Pakistani judge to be elected as a bencher at the Middle Temple, one of the UK’s historic Inns of Court. A former top judge of Pakistan, Isa retired on October 25 and traveled to London to attend the rescheduled ceremony in his honor. The Middle Temple, established in the 14th century, has long held an esteemed place in British legal education, alongside Grey’s Inn, Lincoln’s Inn, and Inner Temple.
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