ATC issues warrantsfor Omar Ayub, others

ISLAMABAD:

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has issued arrest warrants for PTI leaders Omar Ayub, Sheikh Waqas Akram, and Zartaj Gul in the Sangjani rally case, ordering authorities to arrest and produce them before the court by October 20.

In another case, however, the court cancelled the arrest warrants for former National Assembly speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser after he appeared in person.

The hearing was conducted by ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Supra. During proceedings, the court rejected Omar Ayub's request for exemption from personal appearance, noting that "none of these individuals has appeared even once in this case."

The court subsequently ordered that all three PTI leaders be arrested and presented before it, and adjourned the hearing until October 20.

Separately, the ATC also heard the Long March vandalism case against Asad Qaiser, who is a nominated accused in an FIR registered at the CTD Police Station. Upon his appearance in court, his arrest warrants were withdrawn.

After a long hiatus, Imran Khan's beleaguered party managed to hold a massive rally in Islamabad on September 8, 2024 despite clashes with the capital's police that left dozens of policemen and PTI workers injured.

Authorities had granted permission for the rally but turned Islamabad into a virtual fortress with roads blocked with shipping containers and over 6,000 police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel deployed to manage the routes.

A day after the rally, authorities launched a fresh crackdown on the former ruling party. Police and plainclothes officers also raided the Parliament Lodges, rounding up lawmakers in what was later condemned by all political parties as an affront to parliament.