Lahore/Islamabad:
The PTI Political Committee has decided to postpone the appointment of the new opposition leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate is currently considering the Occupation Word issued by Peshawar High Court (PHC).
In a meeting held on Sunday to review the current political situation, the political committee agreed that Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub will continue to have their respective attitudes in the Senate and the National Assembly as opposition leaders.
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad on July 31 July sentenced a hundred PTI leaders and workers, including Shibli and Omar in a May 9, 2023 case, sentenced them to ten years in prison.
The Election Commission in Pakistan (ECP), which took the Suo Motu message about the conviction, disqualified the PTI leaders on August 5th. Later on August 7, the National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq issued a review that de-notifying Omar and declared the seat vacant.
The Senate Secretariat on August 8 also issued a notification in which he stated that Faraz’s disqualification on August 5 had resulted in the loss of both his Senate membership and his attitude as opposition leader in the upper house. PTI challenged these messages.
On August 12, PHC stopped the top and lower parliamentary houses in appointing new leaders of opposition in view of conviction, de-seating and de-notification of Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub.
A division bench consisting of justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Dr. Khurshid Iqbal issued this order while hearing petitions filed on behalf of Shibli and Omar by PTI chairman Barristist Gohar Ali Khan. PHC on August 21 expanded the stay.
According to a statement issued to the media after the meeting, the committee reviewed the current political situation and held consultations on different issues.
For the upcoming election, Munazza Fatima was nominated from PP-87 and Ain Ahmad from NA-66, while candidates for the remaining seats will soon be announced. The meeting also noted that the basic realities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab differ significantly.
It condemned the “fascist tactics” used against PTI leaders and workers, terming the arrest of Aleema Khan’s sons as the worst example of political victim.
Police in Punjab Provincial Capital On August 21, Aleema’s son Shahrez Khan arrested. On charges of resorting to the actions of vandalism on May 9, 2023. A day later, they also detained her second son, Shershah Khan on the same charges. Both Shahrez and Shershah are nephews by former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
According to the statement, lawyer Ali Bukhari met Imran Khan in Adiala Prison. During the meeting, the PTI founder emphasized that the legal battle will be fought with full strength.
