On Tuesday, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Sargodha formally indicted the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, and other members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party over their alleged role in the May 9 attack on Mianwali’s judicial complex. The list of those indicted also includes Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly.
The accused individuals, however, denied the charges against them, prompting the court to adjourn proceedings until February 28 and summon witnesses for the next hearing.
According to police, a total of 57 individuals, along with 150 unnamed suspects, are implicated in the case. This latest development follows weeks after an ATC in Faisalabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Ayub, Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz, and others involved in a separate case related to the May 9 riots.
The warrants were issued after the accused failed to appear in court in a case registered at the Civil Lines Police Station, with arrest orders also issued for PTI leaders Kanwal Shauzab and former member Fawad Chaudhry.
This indictment adds to the growing list of legal battles facing PTI leadership, including party founder Imran Khan and senior figures like Shah Mahmood Qureshi. These issues stem from the violent May 9 riots, when an angry mob attacked military installations following Khan’s arrest in a corruption case.
Both the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, the caretaker government, and the current administration under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have blamed PTI for inciting the violence, though the party vehemently denies these accusations.
Following the riots, those involved were tried in military courts, which handed down sentences ranging from two to ten years to 85 individuals. Of those convicted, 19 have been pardoned after filing mercy petitions. The PTI has vowed to challenge the convictions, calling the trials of civilians in military courts a blatant injustice.
Speaking to the media, Omar Ayub criticized the federal and provincial governments for their handling of the situation and reiterated calls for fresh elections. He also expressed concern about the party’s ongoing legal struggles, highlighting that PTI founder Bushra Bibi has been prevented from meeting her incarcerated husband, Imran Khan.
Ayub attributed the delays in their cases to the lack of constitutional supremacy in the country and called for the formation of a commission to investigate the increasing martyrdom of security personnel in terrorist attacks.
