ATC remands Imran’s 2 sisters in police custody for one day

ISLAMABAD: Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra Monday remanded Imran Khan’s sisters – Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan -- in police custody, and issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI leader Amir Mughal in the same case.

A case was registered against Aleema and Uzma, along with dozens of other PTI activists and leaders, at Kohsar Police Station under terrorism charges. On Monday, they were produced in the court after completion of their one-day physical remand.

During the proceedings, the judge ordered all unrelated persons to leave the courtroom before PTI’s lawyer, Niazullah Niazi, began his arguments. He informed the court that they were provided with a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) via WhatsApp just the day before. He argued that the arrest of Aleema and Uzma on October 4 was unlawful, as they were not presented in the court till Oct 6. “This arrest has become illegal,” he stated, before reading out the contents of the FIR [first information report].

Advocate Ali Bukhari questioned whether anything had been recovered from the scene. The judge asked the prosecutor, Raja Naveed, for clarification, who confirmed that nothing had been recovered. Bukhari urged the court to discharge Imran Khan’s sisters from the case.

The prosecutor maintained that the women were named in the case, and when asked by the judge if any megaphones or other items had been recovered, he explained that the remand was necessary for technical investigation rather than physical recovery.

Aleema Khan took the rostrum, stating that after their arrest, they were held at a police station for 10 hours before being moved to the police lines. She also highlighted the plight of two elderly women, who were arrested with them and later they fell ill.

The court reserved its decision on the request for remand, and later ordered for one-day physical remand of Aleema and Uzma, while Asad Qaiser’s brother, Adnan Khan, was sent on seven-day physical remand.

Additionally, the court issued arrest warrants for KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur and Amir Mughal in connection with the same terrorism case, registered at Kohsar Police Station. In another case, the ATC judge sent PTI workers, arrested in 87 cases, to Adiala Jail for an identification parade.

PTI lawyer Ali Bukhari and others appeared before the court. After hearing the arguments, the court ordered the arrested PTI workers to be sent to jail for an identification parade. The court adjourned further hearing till Oct 21.

In another case, the ATC judge ordered physical remand of 19 PTI workers, arrested from the limits of Tarnol police station. During the hearing last day, the arrested workers were presented before the court.

Prosecutor Raja Naveed requested for physical remand of 35 arrested accused. The case was registered under terrorism provisions. However, the PTI lawyers opposed physical remand of the workers. Ali Bukhari Advocate said the arrested workers included a minor boy, to which Judge Tahir Abbas remarked that in the case record, it has been mentioned that the young man was 19 years old. After hearing the arguments, the court handed over seven accused to the police on physical remand for a day.

Meanwhile, Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana adjourned hearing of £190 million case against Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi without any proceedings. PTI lawyer Murtaza Toori filed the application for adjournment of the hearing, and the court adjourned the hearing till October 19.