PHC grants protective bail to Omar Ayub

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday granted protective bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Naeem Anwar and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal heard the petition. Alam Khan Adeenzai, the counsel for Omar Ayub, informed the court that his client was facing over 100 cases, making it difficult for him to appear in court without the fear of arrest. He requested protective bail and also urged the court to seek details of all cases registered against him.

The court granted Ayub protective bail until April 15 and issued a notice to the federal government, directing it to provide details of the cases against him.Talking to reporters after the hearing, Omar Ayub said that politically motivated cases were being filed against him. “I was accused of stealing biscuits from a truck. This is how absurd the charges are,” he said.

Omar Ayub also announced that the PTI would launch a protest movement after Ramazan under the banner of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan and called for a parliamentary security session to address national security concerns.

Omar Ayub raised concerns about alleged financial irregularities involving the Sharif family, stating that a tax default case against Hassan Nawaz had surfaced in the United Kingdom.

He criticised the federal government’s approach to national security, claiming that before the National Security Committee meeting, they had requested a meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s founder, which was not facilitated. He further alleged that the committee itself had become ineffective.He praised former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for effectively presenting the province’s stance in key discussions.

However, he claimed that security forces were unable to operate freely in eight districts of Balochistan, raising questions about governance and law enforcement.

Regarding economic issues, the opposition leader accused the government of economic mismanagement, stating that the country’s economy has collapsed due to poor policies. He blamed the government for the surge in sugar prices and tax evasion scandals.

He recalled that the government had previously declared a sugar surplus and allowed exports, yet now there was a shortage. “Last year, they said we had extra sugar and should export it. Now, during Ramadan, there is a shortage,” he said.

“This government is on its way out,” he said, adding that his party would continue to present its agenda on all available platforms. He reaffirmed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s stance, stating that they would not support any military operations in the province and emphasised that negotiations were the only viable solution to ongoing conflicts.