An anti-terrorism court on Monday remanded Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, into police custody for one day. They are accused of involvement in vandalism during weekend protests in Islamabad.
The judge also issued arrest warrants against Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Amir Mughal, while Adnan Khan, another party leader from K-P, was placed on a seven-day physical remand.
A total of 12 cases were registered against the PTI leaders and workers in different police stations of Islamabad following Saturday's violence in the capital city during the PTI's protest in D-Chowk.
Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra heard the case registered at the Kohsar Police Station under terrorism charges.
Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan were presented in court after completing their one-day physical remand.
PTI's lawyer, Niazullah Niazi, argued that they were only given a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) via WhatsApp the day before. He added that Imran's sisters were arrested on October 4 but were not brought to court until October 6.
Prosecutor Raja Naveed maintained that the two women were named in the case. To a court query, the prosecutor explained that the remand was necessary for technical investigation rather than physical recovery.
The court reserved its decision on the request for remand and later ordered a one-day physical remand for Aleema and Uzma, while, Adnan Khan, brother of senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser, was handed over to police on a seven-day remand.
Additionally, the court issued arrest warrant for K-P Chief Minister Gandapur and Amir Mughal in connection with the same terrorism case registered at the Kohsar Police Station.
Chief Minister Gandapur and around 350 PTI leaders and activists, including Azam Swati, Amir Mughal, Umar Ayub, and Barrister Saif, were booked for their alleged involvement in blocking of GT Road and participating in acts of vandalism in Islamabad.
A total of 12 cases were registered against hundreds of PTI workers and supporters, including the party founder, in different police stations of the federal capital. The charges were filed under 14 legal sections, including terrorism and attempted murder.
The cases had been registered at the Kohsar, Tarnol and Secretariat Industrial Area police stations.
The case of riots on the Margalla Avenue was registered at the Golra police station and the Srinagar Highway case at the Karachi police station.
According to the FIR, acting on the orders of Imran and Gandapur, around 3,000 unidentified PTI workers, armed with firearms, nailed bats, iron rods, and even bulldozers marched to Srinagar Highway, shouting anti-state slogans.
Similarly, a case was lodged at the Noon Police Station. The charges included blocking of Tarnol-GT Road and vandalism.
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