RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Tuesday reissued non-bailable arrest warrants for Aleema Khan, sister of jailed former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, along with her two guarantors, in connection with the November 26 D-Chowk protest case.
The court also issued a show-cause notice to the Superintendent of Police (SP) Rawal for failing to execute the arrest warrants, directing him to appear before the court on Wednesday and explain the non-compliance.
Non-bailable warrants were also reissued for Aleema Khan’s guarantors—Nadeem Bilal, son of Sher Khan, and Wahid Mehmood, son of Muhammad Irfan—with orders for their immediate arrest and production before the court.
Rejecting Aleema Khan’s application seeking exemption from appearance, the ATC ordered that she be arrested and presented before it on Wednesday, February 4, without fail. The court noted that the proceedings stemmed from repeated non-compliance with its earlier directives regarding her arrest.
The case, registered at Sadiqabad Police Station, pertains to a protest held at D-Chowk in Islamabad on November 24, 2024, which culminated in a law enforcement operation two days later.
ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah presided over the hearing.
The protest followed Imran Khan’s “final call” issued on November 13, urging nationwide demonstrations on November 24 to demand the restoration of PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of imprisoned party leaders and workers, and the reversal of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which he alleged had entrenched authoritarian rule.
Supporters from across the country converged on D-Chowk, Islamabad. The government ruled out negotiations and launched an operation against the protesters on November 26, after which senior PTI leaders reportedly fled the scene, effectively ending the sit-in.
Aleema Khan is nominated as an accused in a vandalism and rioting case at Sadiqabad Police Station and had earlier secured pre-arrest bail. Separately, the ATC in Islamabad has rejected pre-arrest bail petitions of three PTI MNAs — Asif Khan, Sajid Khan Mohammad and another lawmaker — for failing to appear before the court.
In addition to Sadiqabad, protest-related cases have been registered at Civil Lines, Taxila and Waris Khan police stations. A total of 29 cases have been filed in Rawalpindi district over the November 26 protest. Imran Khan has been nominated in seven cases, while his wife Bushra Bibi has been charged in all 29.
