Arrest warrants issued for PTI leaders including Omar Ayub in Sangjani rally case

• ATC Islamabad issues arrest warrants for three PTI leaders.
• Warrants also issues for PTI's Info Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram.
• None of leaders appeared before court once, laments Judge Sipra.
  

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in the federal capital on Monday issued arrest warrants for several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in a case relating to the party's rally in Sangjani area back in September 2024.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra conducted the hearing of the case today and issued arrest warrants for former National Assembly speaker Omar Ayub, PTI leader Zartaj Gul and party's Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram. 

Judge Sipara also directed the police to arrest and produce the PTI leaders before the court by October 20.

"The three leaders did not appear in court even once," remarked the judge as the court rejected Ayub's request for exemption from appearance.

The case relates to the former ruling party's rally in Islamabad's Sangjani in September last year seeking the release of its incarcerated founder Imran Khan who has been behind bars since August 5, 2023 in multiple cases ranging from terrorism to corruption. 

The latest arrest warrants are likely to add to the party's existing legal and political woes with its senior leadership, including Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Yasmin Rashid and others already incarcerated.

The party has also lost its opposition leaders in the NA and the Senate after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified Ayub and Shibli Faraz as the leaders of the opposition in both houses, respectively after the two were convicted in May 9 cases.

Apart from external challenges, the PTI is also battling internal rifts with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur acknowledging that tensions and groupings exist within the party last month.

Meanwhile, as reported by The News, PTI founder Khan, during his meeting with CM Gandapur last month, stressed that there was no space within the PTI for those attempting to create rifts.

The former prime minister has also directed the party leadership to act firmly against baseless statements and negative propaganda that undermine internal trust.