Opposition leader Omar Ayub granted interim bail till January 8

English , Pakistan - پاکستان , Snippets , / Monday, December 9th, 2024

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The Peshawar High Court (PHC) granted interim bail to opposition leader Omar Ayub till January 8, allowing him to attend court hearings in various legal cases filed against him in Islamabad and Punjab. The request for the temporary bail was heard by Justice Sahibzada Asadullah. Ayub’s lawyer informed the court that his client was facing multiple cases and feared arrest, making it difficult for him to attend the hearings.The court accepted his request and instructed him to appear in the relevant courts before the deadline.In a separate hearing, Justice Sahibzada Asadullah also approved a 20-day interim bail for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ameer Nayazi, who had requested relief on similar grounds.Nayazi was instructed to present himself in the appropriate courts within the prescribed time.Additionally, PTI lawmakers Shandana Gulzar, Arbab Amir Ayub, and Arbab Sheer Ali approached the Peshawar High Court for interim bail.Their lawyer stated that cases had been registered against the leaders following protests at D-Chowk by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) , raising concerns over potential arrests.The court’s decisions come as several PTI leaders face legal challenges related to their political activities and protests.Last week, Omar Ayub issued a stark warning to the government, stating that the party may resort to civil disobedience if justice is not served regarding the events of November 24.Speaking at a joint press conference alongside PTI leaders Asad Qaiser, Shibli Faraz, Waqas Sheikh, and others, Ayub announced the formation of a high-powered committee for negotiations.He revealed that he held a lengthy meeting with the PTI founder on December 5. Reflecting on his own experience, he recounted, “I met the party founder but was later arrested from Adiala Jail. The Punjab Inspector General was adamant about my detention. I am now filing a contempt of court petition in the Peshawar High Court.”He condemned the government for alleged human rights violations, claiming that peaceful protests were met with violence. “Innocent and unarmed people were martyred. We lost 12 people, thousands were injured, and over 200 are missing,” Ayub stated.He further accused the government of fascism, alleging that hospital morgues were emptied, and individuals were coerced into falsifying injury reports as accident victims. “Over 5,000 PTI workers were arrested,” he added.Ayub called for an investigation into the use of force during the November 24 protests. He alleged that US-made weapons, including sniper rifles, were deployed against unarmed citizens. He also accused the government of using funds from the Coalition Support Fund against PTI workers.”We demand the release of PTI workers and a transparent inquiry into who ordered the use of firearms on November 24. If justice is not delivered and profiling of youth continues, we will move towards civil disobedience,” Ayub warned.The PTI leader announced that a prayer ceremony for the martyrs will be held on December 13, followed by a global prayer initiative by overseas PTI workers on December 15.Highlighting the path forward, Ayub said, “Our high-powered committee, consisting of Asad Qaiser, Ali Amin Gandapur, Hamid Raza, and myself, is ready for dialogue. Anyone willing to negotiate is welcome.”