Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) federal ministers Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz have withdrawn their appeals against their disqualification from general elections and dismissal as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate respectively, it emerged on Monday.
According to PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan’s statement before the Supreme Court, Ayub has withdrawn his appeal against his disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as he does not intend to contest the next polls. His wife will run a campaign for that seat instead.
The appeal against his dismissal as Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly was also withdrawn and the new Leader of Opposition has already been notified, Khan said.
As for Faraz, Khan informed the court that his appeal against his removal as Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House has been withdrawn.
Read: Supreme Court to hear appeal of PTI’s Omar, Shibli
However, Faraz’s appeal against his disqualification from the ECP stands, Khan said, prompting the court to issue notice on the matter.
During the hearing, Justice Aminuddin Khan asked if both the PTI leaders had surrendered.
Khan replied in the negative, adding that the case was civil in nature and the party only intends to pursue Faraz’s case.
Justice Shakeel Ahmad asked about the date of the Senate by-election.
To this, Gohar replied that the by-election is scheduled for 30 October.
Noting that very little time has been given for the polls, the bench fixed the next hearing for October 29 and informed the ECP about the same.
A special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad had sentenced senior PTI leaders Ayub, Faraz, Zartaj Gul and Hamid Raza to 10 years imprisonment each on 31 July for inciting violence on 9 May 2023 when protests erupted over the arrest of former prime minister Imran HC Khan from IslamesIbad HC Khan.
On August 5, the ECP disqualified nine lawmakers affiliated with the PTI, including Senate Opposition Leader Faraz and National Assembly Opposition Leader Ayub.
On 25 August, the ATC in Faisalabad sentenced the two PTI leaders and dozens of others to 10 years in prison each in a separate case involving an attack on PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah’s residence during the 9 May 2023 unrest.
The PTI leaders had first approached the Peshawar High Court, which dismissed their appeals as not maintainable on the ground that they had not surrendered before the court. Ayub and Faraz later challenged their disqualification in the Supreme Court.
