ISLAMABAD: In a politically charged development, opposition leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, was unable to meet Chief Justice Yahya Afridi on Wednesday despite a formal invitation, citing the risk of arrest linked to multiple cases pending against him nationwide.
Well-placed sources told Business Recorder that the Supreme Court registrar contacted Ayub a day after he sent a letter to Chief Justice Afridi, expressing serious concerns about what he described as deteriorating judicial standards and politically motivated prosecution of PTI leadership.
The chief justice invited Ayub for a meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday, but Ayub declined, fearing arrest as he was out of Islamabad due to a hearing related to the May 9 violence case.
Ayub reportedly informed the Chief Justice’s office that he could not travel to the capital due to the credible risk of arrest during ongoing judicial proceedings. “If I come to Islamabad, I may not be able to return,” he said, alluding to what he perceives as a campaign of legal intimidation against opposition figures.
In response, Chief Justice Afridi’s office sought an alternative arrangement, and Ayub suggested a possible meeting in Peshawar.
In his letter, Ayub sharply criticised recent judicial conduct, particularly in the May 9 cases, alleging late-night hearings, denial of legal counsel, and restricted media access. He warned that such practices violate constitutional guarantees and erode public trust in the judiciary.
Calling for immediate reforms, including judicial inquiries into alleged police and prosecutorial misconduct, Ayub asserted that the judiciary must serve as a pillar of justice—not as an instrument of coercion.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025