Non-bailable arrest warrant for Ayyan maintained

RAWALPINDI: The Duty Judge Rawalpindi Raja Ghazanfar has maintained non-bailable arrest warrant for supermodel Ayyan Ali in the currency smuggling case. The court has issued non-bailable arrest warrant because Ayyan once again failed to appear in the court on Monday.

The court has rejected medical application of Ayyan Ali and issued non-bailable arrest warrant of her. Due to the judge of the Special Customs Court being on holiday, the hearing was held by Duty Judge Raja Ghazanfar.

During the hearing, the model’s lawyer said that Ayyan is unwell, which is why she can’t appear before the court. The Customs Special Prosecutor Ameen Feroz said that these people always make excuses and waste the court’s time. They are not presenting her before the court deliberately, he said. Her lawyer submitted a medical application and requested the court that Ayyan be exempted from appearing because she was sick. The court rejected the plea and issued a non-bailable warrant for the model’s arrest. The hearing was adjourned till November 10.

Prior to this, two bailable arrest warrants and a non-bailable warrants were issued for the model on October 6. She was arrested at the old Benazir International Airport in March 2015 on charges of trying to smuggle $506,800 to the United Arab Emirates.

She was indicted by a Customs Court in November 2015 for attempting to smuggle the money. However, she pleaded not guilty. The model announced on October 16 through a tweet that she will return to Pakistan soon.