Pakistan's Omar Ayub evades arrest in a raid
Jul 08, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], July 8 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Secretary General and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub on Sunday evaded arrest in a raid on his residence in Sector F-10 by a joint team of Islamabad and Mianwali police after warrants for his arrest were issued by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Sargodha, Pakistan-based daily Dawn reported.
Mianwali police, in a handout, claimed that their assistant sub-inspector (ASI) had only gone to the residence to serve the bailable warrants, not to arrest the opposition leader, Dawn reported.
The PTI leader, who went into hiding after the raid, lashed out at the authorities for being so "desperate" to apprehend him, Dawn reported.
"Bailable arrest warrants were issued for me by ATC Sargodha, but Mianwali police and Islamabad police teams came to my Islamabad house to arrest me a few minutes ago," he said in a social media post.
Ayub added that their struggle will continue till PTI leader Imran Khan becomes the Prime Minister again.
"Arrest warrants issued for me by ATC Sargodha. Mianwali Police and Islamabad Police teams went to my Islamabad house to arrest me a few minutes ago. The form 47 Federal Government, Punjab Government, and agencies must be very desperate to arrest the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. They will prove beyond doubt that there is no rule of law in Pakistan. Let there be no doubt that we will continue our lawful struggle until PM Imran Khan is the Prime Minister of Pakistan," he said.
https://x.com/OmarAyubKhan/status/1809889540250951766
Speaking to Dawn, PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan said that Ayub's home was raided by the Mianwali and Islamabad police personnel.
"Some of the police personnel were in uniform while some were in plain clothes... fortunately the PTI secretary general was not at home," he said, adding that Omar Ayub was at a safe place.
Hasan also said that the police had not sought prior permission from the National Assembly speaker to conduct the raid for his arrest.
He said that the raid was conducted in connection with a terrorism case. The ATC Sargodha had issued warrants for his arrest.
