Arrest warrants out for PTI's Omar, others

Court reserves decision on post-arrest bail application of 22 PTI workers

ISLAMABAD:

A judicial magistrate on Monday issued arrest warrants for some key PTI leaders including National Assembly Leader of Opposition Omar Ayub, Amir Dogar and Umar Mughal due to their failure to appear in the court in connection with a case with regard to violation of Section 144.

Two FIRs were registered against a number of PTI leaders for staging a protest on May 9, 2024 in violation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) at Islamabad's I-9 Police Station.

Section 144 of the CrPC grants executive magistrates the power to issue orders in urgent cases of nuisance or potential danger. This provision is commonly used to impose restrictions on public gatherings, protests, and movement to maintain law and order.

The judicial magistrate on Monday also accepted PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan's and lawyer Shoaib Shaheen's requests seeking exemption from appearing in the court in the same case.

Meanwhile, a judicial magistrate, Shahzad Gondal, reserved his order on the post-arrest bail applications of 22 PTI workers rounded up during the party's November 26 protest in Islamabad.

The petitioner's lawyer, Sardar Masroof Advocate, argued that other individuals nominated in the same case have already been granted bail by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). However, these workers are being entangled in new cases after securing bail in one.

He urged the court to grant bail to the workers in light of the IHC's decision. After hearing the arguments, the court reserved its verdict. A case against PTI workers was registered at Ramna police station in the wake of the November 26 protest.