An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore dismissed on Saturday the provisional bail requests presented by Pakistan’s leader Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI), Omar Ayub, in three separate cases linked to the violence of May 9, citing his absence of judicial procedures.
Cases refer to attacks on key state and military properties during the disturbances of May 9, including high profile incidents in Lahore Jinnah house and the Askari tower.
The ATC judge, Manzar Ali Gul, presided over the hearings and pointed out Ayub’s breach of appearing before the court as a reason for rejecting his bail supplications. An request for exemption from one day of the appearance was also denied.
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Ayub, who previously served as opposition leader in the National Assembly, had assured an interim bond in relation to the cases, but had to continue appearing before the court. His breach resulted in the cancellation of his bond.
Last month, the Faisalabad ATC sentenced the main leaders of PTI, including Ayub, up to 10 years in prison in cases related to the protests of May 9.
Opposition leader in the Senate Sibli Faraz, Sartaj Gul, MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza and former MNA Sheikh Rashid Shafiq were among the 108 PTI leaders condemned by 185 people involved in the cases.
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On Friday, the National Assembly eliminated three PTI leaders from key parliamentary positions after the disqualification of several party legislators.
Ayub was stripped of his position as opposition leader, Gul lost his role as a parliamentary leader, and Ahmad Chattha was eliminated as an attached parliamentary leader.
The protests of May 9, activated by the arrest of the founder of PTI, Imran Khan, went to a series of violent clashes throughout the country, with several leaders and supporters of PTI that face positions under the anti -terrorist laws. Since then, the State has moved to prosecute those involved in attacks against military and public infrastructure.
