SARGODHA: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Sargodha on Tuesday indicted Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan and several other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in a case related to the May 9 attack on Mianwali’s judicial complex.
The court of Judge Muhammad Naeem also indicted Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar among others. However, the accused denied the charges, leading the court to adjourn the hearing until February 28, summoning witnesses for the next session.
Case Details
According to the police, the case includes 57 named individuals and 150 unidentified suspects accused of involvement in the May 9 riots.
The indictment follows arrest warrants issued earlier this month by an ATC in Faisalabad against Omar Ayub, Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz, and other PTI figures, including Kanwal Shauzab and former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, for failing to appear in court regarding another May 9-related case.
PTI Leaders Face Legal Battles
The PTI leadership, including founder Imran Khan and senior members like Shah Mahmood Qureshi, remains entangled in multiple legal cases linked to the May 9 riots, during which military installations were attacked following Khan’s arrest in a corruption case.
Successive governments, including the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) administration, the caretaker setup, and the current Shehbaz Sharif-led government, have blamed PTI for orchestrating the violence—an allegation the party strongly denies.
Military Court Sentences & PTI’s Response
Following the riots, military courts convicted 85 individuals, sentencing them to prison terms ranging from two to ten years. Out of the 67 convicts who submitted mercy petitions, 19 have been pardoned.
Despite this, PTI has announced plans to challenge the military court convictions, arguing that trying civilians in military courts is a violation of justice.
Omar Ayub’s Reaction
Speaking to the media, Omar Ayub criticized the federal and provincial governments, accusing them of “destroying the country” and calling for fresh elections.
He also complained about PTI’s legal troubles, alleging that Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, is being denied access to meet her husband in jail.
Ayub further called for the formation of a commission to investigate recent terrorist attacks, emphasizing the need to understand and address the causes behind the loss of security personnel.
