LAHORE: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, on Friday demanded an investigation into the arrest of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers in the parliament.

Speaking to the journalists outside the anti-terrorism courts, he urged the prime minister and the army chief to immediately hold an inquiry to fix responsibility for the ‘injustice’ against the public representatives.

He termed the opposition members’ arrest within the Parliament House a bigger tragedy than May 9 protests.

Ayub said he had been studying in Lahore, but didn’t know that the corps commander’s residence was called ‘Jinnah House’.

He added that the people put an end to the May 9 story on Feb 8 -- the date of the last general elections.

To a question, he said the longer the PTI founding chairman Imran Khan was kept in jail, the greater would be threat to his (Imran’s) life.

He declared all cases against the PTI founder as bogus, saying he could have been released anytime.

The opposition leader pointed out that the ‘expensive’ IPPs agreements were made during the terms of the PML-N and the PPP in the government, claiming that as energy minister, he had managed to bring the power generation rate down to two-and-a-half cents.

Earlier, ATC Judge Arshad Javed extended pre-arrest bail of Mr Ayub, former federal minister Asad Umar and others till Oct 8 in Askari Tower attack case.

Asad Umar did not appear due to illness, and his request for a one-time exemption from personal appearance was allowed by the judge.

The Gulberg police had registered a case related to the attack on Askari Tower near Liberty Chowk.

BAIL CONFIRMED: A sessions court on Friday confirmed the interim pre-arrest bail of PTI leaders Azam Swati, Ali Zaidi and Musarrat Jamshed Cheema in a cybercrime case.

All three leaders appeared in court on expiry of their interim bail.

Petitioners’ counsel Asif Shahzad Sahi argued that the case against his clients was filed on political grounds and that the FIA failed to present any evidence against them.

He said the provisions of the Peca added to the case were bailable.

A public prosecutor opposed the bail, saying the suspects had posted objectionable tweets against Punjab IGP and state institutions. He asked the court to dismiss the bail petitions.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Salman Ghumman confirmed the bail of the leaders, directing them to furnish surety bonds worth Rs100,000 each.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2024