Police say Aleema is likely to be arrested today after the judge noted that failure to appear is a hindrance to the trial
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khanum. PHOTO: FILE
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Friday issued a non-bailable warrant for Aleema Khan after she failed to appear in court.
The court directed the relevant authorities to arrest and produce Aleema before the court on October 19.
ATC judge Amjad Ali Shah observed that Aleema’s repeated absence constituted an impediment to a trial.
The court could not record testimony in the November 26 protest filed at Sadiqabad police station at today’s hearing due to Aleema’s absence.
According to police sources, Aleema is likely to be arrested from the Adiala jail premises where she was supposed to appear for Toshakhana II hearings.
Arrest warrants were also issued earlier. A notice was also sent to her bail bondsman summoning them to appear before the court on October 19 and the court questioned why Aleema’s bail amount should not be confiscated.
Read: ATC issues non-bailable warrant for Aleema Khan
On September 18, the ATC granted interim bail to Aleema in the November 26 D-Chowk protest case, where Judge Amjad Ali Shah did not notice any clear evidence against her.
Aleema, sister of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, was asked to post bail of Rs 50,000. and appear at hearings in the cases on November 26.
The case pending in the ATC is registered at the Sadiqabad police station, which includes charges of protesting against the government, chanting anti-government slogans, vandalism and stone pelting.
The court has called five witnesses for the next hearing scheduled for October 19.
D-Chowk protest
On 13 November 2023, Imran Khan issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on 24 November, demanding the restoration of the PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of jailed party members and the rollback of the 26th Amendment, which he claimed had empowered a “dictatorial regime”.
The protest took place in D-Chowk, Islamabad where supporters traveled from different provinces to listen to Khan’s call.
The state rejected any possibility of negotiation and an operation was conducted against the protesters, prompting the PTI leadership to flee the scene. The protest ended with the operation on 26 November.
Read more: ATC grants Aleema interim bail in D-Chowk protest case
Cases charged
A case of vandalism and rioting was registered at Sadiqabad police station, where Aleema Khan has been named as an accused and was on bail before arrest.
Hearings on pre-arrest bail applications filed by three PTI MNAs – Asif Khan, Sajid Khan Mohammad and another – in the November 26 D-Chowk protest case were heard on September 16 in the Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad.
All three pleas for bail were rejected by Justice Tahir Abbas Supra because the petitioners had failed to appear in court.
Similarly, protest related cases are also registered at Civil Lines Police Station, Taxila Police Station and Waris Khan Police Station. A total of 29 cases have been filed in Rawalpindi district in connection with the D-Chowk protest. Imran Khan has been charged with seven, while his wife, Bushra Bibi, has been charged with all 29.
Read also: ATC denies pre-arrest bail to three PTI MNAs
In these 29 cases, bail has already been granted to a total of 1,383 defendants. Among them are Ali Amin Gandapur, Azam Swati, Salar Kakar and Salman Akram Raja. In 26 of these cases, the entire central leadership of PTI has been nominated as accused.
All the accused were arrested between November 24 and 27, while the approval of bail began six months later, starting from May this year and ending on July 31.
On November 24, police registered cases against PTI chief Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, senior PTI leader Dr. Arif Alvi, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, and hundreds of senior PTI lawmakers, leaders and workers across Puntjab over violent protests.
The FIRs were filed under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). Imran Khan’s bail applications in seven cases related to the November 26 incidents were filed by his lawyers. In these cases, Khan was formally arrested and sent to judicial custody.
