An Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) issued a bailable arrest warrant for National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub on Thursday. The warrant relates to the protests held on October 4, 2024, when PTI activists clashed with Islamabad police.
Hundreds had gathered despite security blockades ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. More than 100 PTI supporters, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s two sisters, were detained during the protests.
The hearing was presided over by Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra at the Shahzad Town police station case. While the court issued the warrant for Omar Ayub and canceled bail for suspects absent during the session, it granted Senator Azam Swati exemption from attendance. The next hearing is scheduled for July 30.
Lawyers representing PTI leaders expressed concerns about the speed of these trials. Advocate Sardar Masroof Khan highlighted the difficulty faced by suspects from distant regions like Azad Kashmir and Mardan, who struggled to attend without accommodation in Islamabad. He urged the courts to ensure fair trials and avoid wrongful convictions.
This case is part of a wider crackdown on PTI leadership following violent incidents, including the May 9, 2023 riots, where several PTI leaders received up to 10 years of imprisonment from different ATCs. Recently, PTI’s Hammad Azhar and Rana Shahbaz Ahmed were declared proclaimed offenders in related cases over police attacks during protests.
The October 4 protest case is one among several filed at multiple police stations in Islamabad, including Koral, Noon, and Ramna, reflecting ongoing legal actions against PTI’s top leaders.