An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Friday ordered the confiscation of the computerised national identity card (CNIC) and passport of Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, after she failed to appear before the court in the November 26 PTI protest case despite repeated summons.ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah issued orders while hearing a case related to the FIRs registered against Aleema, others in connection with the PTI’s protest on November 26 last year.

The development comes two days after the same court non-bailable arrest warrant for Imran Khan's sister for the fourth time over her continued absence from the proceedings.On November 26 last year, PTI supporters entered Islamabad in defiance of a ban on public gatherings and clashed with law enforcement agencies near D-Chowk. Police used teargas to disperse the crowd. The former ruling party’s three-day protests were abruptly ended after fierce clashes erupted between the law enforcers and the protesters. 

The November 26, 2024, protest was aimed at building pressure on the government to release the PTI founder. The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been behind bars since August 2023 after he was booked in multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism since his ouster from power via the opposition’s no-trust motion in April 2022. During the hearing today, the court also directed authorities to freeze Aleema's bank accounts and issued instructions to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Directorate of Immigration and Passports for the implementation of orders.

Furthermore, the ATC ordered the confiscation of property belonging to Aleema's guarantor, Umar Sharif.ATC Judge Amjad remarked that Aleema remained active publicly but continued to evade court proceedings. Special prosecutor Zaheer Shah and 10 other accused appeared before the court, while no lawyer represented Aleema in today’s hearing. Subsequently, the ATC adjourned the hearing till October 27.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)