PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Monday granted one month transit bail to Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan and MNA Shandana Gulzar Khan in cases registered against them following the November 24 march on Islamabad, and directed them to appear before the relevant courts.

Also during the day, former president Arif Alvi also approached the PHC, seeking transit bail in seven cases registered against him in connection with the party’s march on Islamabad.

A single-member bench comprising Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim heard the transit bail applications of Omar Ayub and Shandana Gulzar.

Alam Khan Adenzai Advocate appeared on behalf of Mr Ayub, while Moazzam Butt Advocate represented Ms Gulzar. Advocate Adenzai informed the bench that his client was the opposition leader in the NA and cases had been lodged against him following the November 24 march on Islamabad. He said his client wanted to appear before courts, therefore, he should be granted transit bail.

Ex-president Alvi also approaches PHC, seeking bail in seven cases

The bench while accepting Mr Ayub’s application granted him transit bail for a month and directed him to appear before the relevant courts.

Similarly, the bench also heard the transit bail application of MNA Shandana Gulzar Khan and allowed her transit bail till January 21, while directing her to appear before the relevant courts by the same date.

The high court will take up the former president’s transit bail application on Tuesday (today).

Talking to reporters on the PHC premises, Omar Ayub said that they would approach the higher courts against the military courts’ convictions of PTI workers and also provide legal assistance to these workers.

He said that though they supported the military trials of militants; they would never agree to civilians being tried in such courts. He also demanded judicial inquiry into incidents of May 9 and November 24. He said the fresh elections should be conducted through electronic voting machines after inquiry of the February elections.

Mr Ayub said he was a member of the PTI’s negotiation team; but regretted that cases of motorcycle theft and Foreigners Act had been lodged against him. He said CCTV footage of the May 9 riots should be made public.

Former president Arif Alvi in his media talk said whereas terrorists were roaming free, cases were being registered against PTI workers. He said terrorism-related clauses were being added to PTI workers’ cases.

Mr Alvi said that PTI founder Imran Khan and other detained workers should be released forthwith.

He said that the cases lodged against him showed him at 10 different places at the same time while he was in Karachi at that time.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2024