SC forms bench to take up Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz’s appeals against disqualification

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing of appeals filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz against their disqualification, ARY News reported.

A five-member constitutional bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan will hear the case on October 27. The bench also includes Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Justice Shakeel Ahmed.

Both PTI leaders had challenged their disqualification following convictions in the May 9 cases. Earlier, the Peshawar High Court had dismissed their appeals as inadmissible, citing that the petitioners had not surrendered before the authorities.

On July 31, 2025, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul and Shibli Faraz to 10 years in prison in connection with the May 9 riots cases.

The ATC Faisalabad verdict, announced in cases registered at the Ghulam Muhammadabad and Civil Lines police stations (Case No. 1277 and Case No. 832), convicted 108 individuals, while 77 others were acquitted.

As per details, former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi, and Khayal Kastro were acquitted in these cases. On the other hand, PTI MPA Junaid Afzal Sahi received a three-year prison term, while Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, nephew of Sheikh Rashid, SIC head Sahibzada Hamid Raza was also handed a 10-year sentence.

Other convicted PTI leaders include Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, Chaudhry Bilal Ijaz, Mrs. Farrukh Agha, Farkhunda Kokab, Kanwal Shauzab, Mohammad Ahmad Chattha, Chaudhry Asif Ali, Shakeel Ahmad Khan Niazi, Sardar Azimullah Khan, Mehr Muhammad Javed, and Muhammad Ansar Iqbal.

In the Ghulam Muhammadabad case, 60 out of 67 accused were convicted, while seven were acquitted in the Civil Lines case.

On August 6, 2025, the three PTI leaders all approached the Peshawar High Court (PHC) in response to legal actions taken against them in connection with the May 9 riots.

Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz had filed petitions challenging their disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Both PTI leaders argued that the ECP removed them from their parliamentary seats without giving them a fair hearing.

Shibli Faraz, a sitting PTI senator, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), after which his Senate membership was revoked.

Omar Ayub was also removed from the National Assembly under similar circumstances. In their joint plea, they requested the court to declare the ECP decision unconstitutional and void.