ISLAMABAD:
A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Saturday declared Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub a declared perpetrator in a case related to the November 26 protest.
The court also issued permanent arrest warrants for Ayub. Judicial Magistrate Shaista Kundi heard the case.
The court declared Ayub a convicted felon after he repeatedly failed to appear despite being summoned.
A case has been registered against Ayub at the Secretariat Police Station under Section 144 and other relevant provisions.
Read: Ali Amin Gandapur, Omar Ayub declared declared offenders in ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ cases
In February, a local court declared PTI leaders Ali Amin Gandapur and Omar Ayub as declared offenders in two cases related to the “Haqeeqi Azadi March” and issued perpetual arrest warrants against them.
Senior Civil Judge Mubashir Hassan Chishti passed the orders while hearing the cases registered at Bara Kahu police station. The court noted that both defendants had failed to appear in court despite repeated summonses.
In March, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad extended the interim bail of PTI leaders in more than 230 cases related to the November 26 Sangjani rally, protests outside the Supreme Court and other demonstrations.
ATC judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain, who heard the case, also ordered the authorities not to arrest the PTI leaders until May 21.
PTI leaders including Umer Niazi, Raoof Hasan and Azam Swati appeared before the court. The court ordered both parties to present arguments at the next hearing. Several cases have been registered against the PTI leaders at Tarnol, Ramna, Aabpara and Secretariat police stations, among others.
Case
The November 26 protests were sparked by a call by former prime minister Imran Khan and his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), for a “do-or-die” sit-in in Islamabad. Thousands of supporters marched on the capital demanding the release of jailed PTI leaders, including Khan, and the resignation of the government over alleged fraud in the 2024 general elections.
The demonstrations turned violent as protesters attempted to breach barricades and enter the capital’s high-security red zone, leading to clashes with police and paramilitary forces, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
The case has a long history when an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi sentenced 82 PTI workers to four months in jail and fined them Rs 15,000 each after they pleaded guilty to participating in violent protests on November 26, 2024, which left three Rangers personnel and a policeman dead.
The accused admitted they were instigated by the party leadership, sought leniency and vowed not to join future protests, while the Supreme Court separately granted bail to PTI Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and Farhat Abbas in the May 9 cases, directing the completion of the trial within four months.
