GUJRANWALA; A district and sessions court in Gujranwala has dismissed the pre-arrest bail pleas of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Omar Ayub Khan and Zartaj Gul in a case linked to the May 9 incidents of violence, arson, and vandalism.
The bail applications came up for hearing before District and Sessions Judge Shaukat Kamal Dar. Both leaders were absent during the proceedings, and their one-day exemption request from personal appearance was also turned down. The court rejected the pleas citing non-pursuance of the case.
The case, registered at Cantt Police Station Gujranwala, accuses the two leaders of being involved in the siege of government installations, acts of arson, and damage to public property during the May 9 unrest that erupted after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.
May 9, 2023, remains one of the most turbulent days in Pakistan’s recent political history, as protests across the country turned violent, resulting in attacks on military facilities, public property, and clashes between demonstrators and security forces. The government has since launched an extensive crackdown on PTI leaders and supporters, with dozens arrested under anti-terrorism and vandalism charges.
Omar Ayub Khan, who currently serves as PTI’s secretary general, and Zartaj Gul, a former minister of state for climate change, have both denied involvement in the violence, calling the cases against them politically motivated. However, the rejection of their interim bail leaves them vulnerable to immediate arrest by law enforcement agencies.
