An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Thursday annulled the arrest warrant previously issued for the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan. This warrant was related to a PTI protest that took place in October of last year.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Supra, who had initially issued a bailable arrest warrant for the opposition leader earlier in the day, has now suspended it. This suspension occurred after Khan’s lawyer appeared in court and submitted an exemption plea.
The case against Ayub and other PTI leaders was initiated at Shahzad Town police station following clashes between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters and police on October 4, 2024.
During today’s ATC hearing, Senator Azam Swati was granted an exemption from personal attendance, a request that had been submitted the previous day.
The court has adjourned further proceedings until July 30.
In related news, an Islamabad lower court on Thursday announced its verdict in two cases filed under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act. These cases were connected to a PTI protest held on November 26.
Judicial Magistrates Ahmed Shehzad Gondal and Mureed Abbas delivered the reserved judgment.
Twelve PTI workers received six-month prison sentences, while one PTI worker was acquitted in the case.
These recent developments follow a series of anti-terrorism court rulings that have seen senior PTI leaders handed prison sentences of up to 10 years in connection with the May 9, 2023, riots.
On Tuesday, an ATC sentenced several PTI leaders, including Dr. Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, to 10 years in prison each for their involvement in the May 9 case.
The court also imposed sentences on former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, PTI Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, and Afzal Azeem Pahat in the same case.
However, the court acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Hamza Azeem Pahat, Rana Tanveer, and Aizaz Rafiq in this particular case.
On the same day, an ATC in Sargodha also sentenced Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachar, MNA Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, and several other PTI workers to 10 years each in prison in a vandalism case linked to the May 9 riots.
