May 9 convictions: ECP disqualifies 9 PTI MPs including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz and Zartaj Gul

Islamabad (Web Desk): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially de-notified nine lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including the opposition leaders of both the National Assembly and Senate—Omar Ayub Khan and Senator Shibli Faraz—after they were convicted in cases related to the violent events of May 9, 2023.

According to a notification issued by the ECP, the disqualification follows convictions by a special anti-terrorism court, which handed down prison sentences to the lawmakers for their involvement in the violence that erupted after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.

The court ruled that the convicted individuals were guilty of offenses involving moral turpitude and sentenced them to at least ten years in prison, triggering disqualification under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, which bars individuals from holding public office if convicted and sentenced to two years or more for such offenses.

Among those disqualified from the National Assembly are Omar Ayub (NA-18 Haripur), Rai Hassan Nawaz (NA-143 Sahiwal-III), Zartaj Gul (NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan-II), Rai Haider Ali (NA-96 Faisalabad-II), and Sahibzada Hamid Raza (NA-104 Faisalabad-X), who also leads the Sunni Ittehad Council. 

The Senate also lost its opposition leader, Shibli Faraz, while the Punjab Assembly saw the removal of three members including Muhammad Ansar Iqbal (PP-73 Sargodha-III), Junaid Afzal (PP-98 Faisalabad-I), and Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal (PP-203 Sahiwal-VI).

The convictions stem from a case tied to the May 9 riots, particularly an incident at the Civil Lines Police Station in Faisalabad. In total, 108 individuals out of 185 accused were found guilty by the anti-terrorism court and sentenced to a decade in prison.

This group included key PTI figures and allies, further complicating the party’s political standing amid ongoing protests and legal troubles.

The disqualified lawmakers were all prominent figures within PTI, and their removal marks another setback for the party, which is already struggling with leadership vacuum and intense legal challenges.

PTI supporters have launched protests across various cities, demanding the release of their party founder, Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated. Khan, who was ousted through a no-confidence vote in April 2022, has now completed two years in prison as of August 5, 2025.

His legal battles include a host of cases ranging from corruption to terrorism-related charges, and many of his party’s senior leaders either remain behind bars or are entangled in prolonged trials.

The May 9 events were triggered by Khan’s dramatic arrest from the Islamabad High Court premises in a corruption case, which led to widespread unrest, including attacks on military installations such as the Corps Commander House in Lahore.

While several PTI members were granted bail in the aftermath, many still await trial or continue to serve sentences.