Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omer Ayub on Tuesday strongly dismissed any speculations of a deal involving the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, reiterating that the party's leadership remains steadfast and united despite mounting legal pressures.
Speaking to the media outside the judicial complex in Islamabad, Omer Ayub confirmed that senior party leader Azam Swati recently met PTI Founder Imran Khan. However, he said he was unaware of any instructions conveyed during the meeting.
“If Azam Swati has been given any instructions, I am sure they must be correct,” Ayub stated, adding that Swati is a respected senior leader who has made immense sacrifices for the party.
Refuting any rumours about backchannel talks or compromise, Omer Ayub said, “There is no talk of a deal. The PTI founder has appeared in this court many times and has not backed down from his stance.”
He further revealed that he last met Imran Khan three months ago and reiterated that all major leaders of the party, including Bushra Bibi and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, are “political prisoners.”
Ayub voiced serious concerns over the state of law and justice in the country, claiming that court orders are being blatantly disregarded. “Court directives are not being implemented. This raises questions about the rule of law,” he said.
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Touching upon the events of May 9, 2023, Omer Ayub labelled them a “false flag operation.” Referring specifically to the attack on Lahore’s Jinnah House, he questioned the conspicuous absence of law enforcement. “Where were the police and cantonment security at the time of the attack? These are questions that demand answers,” he said.
The opposition leader maintained that the PTI is gaining strength despite ongoing cases against its leadership and workers. “The more pressure is put on us, the more resilient our party becomes,” he asserted.
On the economic front, Omer Ayub criticized the PML-N government, particularly Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, for “playing political tricks all day” instead of offering real solutions. He dismissed the recent electricity tariff relief as “temporary,” highlighting that power rates have soared from Rs17 per unit during PTI’s tenure to Rs85 per unit under the current government.
“The circular debt has crossed Rs2,000 billion, a direct result of the PML-N’s flawed policies and strategy,” Ayub claimed.
