PTI-backed MNA Ayesha stopped at Lahore Airport over criminal record

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Ayesha Nazir Jutt was stopped late at night by FIA immigration officials at Lahore Airport after arriving from Turkey, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Wednesday.

According to the airport sources, the female MNA from Burewala was flagged due to a criminal record match. She was taken to the airport checkpoint and held there overnight.

Airport sources confirmed that the stop was prompted by her being wanted in FIR No 577/23 registered at Burewala’s Model Town Police Station under anti-terrorism and attempted murder charges, dating back to May 10, 2023.

The FIA's immigration system had detected her name in the record, triggering the detention. Around 6:05 am, the Lahore Airport Checkpoint officially notified Model Town Police Station, Burewala, about her custody.

However, within the next 25 minutes, police from Burewala confirmed that Jutt’s bail had already been approved in the case.

Following the clearance confirmation, airport authorities allowed the MNA to leave.

Ayesha Nazir Jutt was elected to the National Assembly in the 2024 Pakistani general election from NA-156 Vehari-I as a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidate. She received 119,758 votes, while the runner-up, Chaudhry Nazeer Ahmad of PML-N, received 90,065 votes.

She also contested the 2013 Pakistani general election for the seat of the National Assembly of Pakistan from NA-167 (Vehari-I) as an independent candidate but was unsuccessful.

She received 43,703 votes and was defeated by Chaudhry Nazeer Ahmad, a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N).

She contested the 2018 Pakistani general election for the seat of the National Assembly from NA-162 Vehari-I as an independent candidate but was unsuccessful.

She received 64,766 votes and was defeated by Choudhry Faqir Ahmad, a candidate of PML-N.

Reporter: Irfan Malik