PESHAWAR: Omar Ayub, Leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, has called on the government to engage in dialogue instead of intimidation regarding proposed constitutional amendments.
Speaking after his court appearance in the Peshawar High Court for a bail case, Ayub criticized Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, urging them to clarify allegations of oppression in the political sphere.
He noted that many PTI members have been arrested and claimed that assembly members have been offered bribes ranging from one billion to three billion rupees to change their allegiances.
Ayub stressed that any constitutional amendments should involve discussions with opposition parties, including representatives from Bar Councils, rather than coercive measures.
“The government does not have enough numbers for the constitutional amendment,” he said, asserting that it is the government’s responsibility to gather the necessary support in the House.
Despite facing multiple legal challenges and fearing arrest following protests at D Chowk, Ayub expressed his determination to attend upcoming National Assembly sessions.
The Peshawar High Court granted him and fellow PTI leaders Barrister Saif, Mashal Yousafzai, and Wazirzada bail for three weeks, overseen by Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim.
During the proceedings, Ayub’s concerns about political persecution were evident. “I have been nominated in 22 cases… I want to go to the assembly session, but there is a fear of arrest,” he stated. The court also approved Ayub’s transit bail until November, providing him some relief as political tensions rise in the country.
