Omar Ayub
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Ayub informed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday that he could not appear before the agency due to prior commitments.
This response came after the FIA’s cybercrime team launched an investigation into a controversial post on X (formerly Twitter) attributed to former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The contentious post read: “Every Pakistani should study the Hamood ur Rahman Commission Report and get to know who was the true traitor, General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
In response, the FIA had summoned Ayub, along with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Information Secretary Raoof Hasan, to appear before the FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre on Wednesday “in the interest of justice.”
While Hasan and Gohar complied and reached the office, Ayub communicated through his legal team that he was preoccupied with pre-budget engagements and court appearances, as he was implicated in multiple terrorism cases.
In his response, Ayub criticized the show-cause notice as “defamatory” and claimed that “unlawful questions” were posed “without referring to any specific query.”
Ayub’s legal team also argued that the notice was publicized extensively on mainstream and social media, which they claimed led to “harassment, unwarranted intimidation, and injurious propaganda.”
They further contended that the FIA, not being a historical institution, has no authority above the Supreme Court and two high courts whose judges reviewed the Hamoodur Rehman Commission report.
The legal response asserted that the notice was a form of persecution against Imran Khan, described as the “most popular leader of the country,” and Ayub, who serves as the Secretary General of PTI.
Ayub emphasized his preoccupation with the pre-budget consultative process and his need to attend to numerous “false cases of terrorism” filed against him across the country.
In providing reasons for his inability to appear, Ayub requested the FIA to furnish him with a copy of the Hamoodur Rehman Commission Report and to grant him reasonable time to respond.
He also warned the FIA of potential legal repercussions, stating his intention to file cases in court and raise the issue in parliament if the notice was not handled appropriately.
This situation highlights the ongoing tension between PTI officials and the FIA, with the investigation into the social media post adding another layer to the already complex political and legal landscape in Pakistan.
Ayub’s firm stance and detailed rebuttal underscore the contentious nature of the investigation and the broader political dynamics at play.
