ATC issues contempt notice, bailable arrest warrant for Aleema in D-Chowk case

Judge Amjad Ali Shah of the Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court has issued a contempt notice for failing to pay Rs80,000 in fines. The court also issued bailable arrest warrants for Aleema Khan due to her late appearance in court on Thursday.

The court approved the prosecution’s request to seize Rs2 million from the defendant’s bail bond and served notices to her guarantors for the recovery of the amount.

The case being heard in the ATC is registered at Sadiqabad Police Station regarding the November 26 D-Chowk protest, which includes charges of protesting against the government, chanting anti-government slogans, vandalism, and stone-pelting.

Although Aleema and her lawyers did not appear at the scheduled time, they presented themselves with their legal team after the adjournment. The court noted that the case had been called twice, but there had been no appearance from the defendant’s side.

Aleema requested permission to speak, stating that she had already given a statement to the media regarding the founder’s peaceful protest and questioned the need for witnesses.

Prosecutor Syed Zaheer Shah immediately urged that her statement be recorded, noting that as the defendant was giving a confession in court, the matter should be considered concluded.

Read: Water cannon breaks up Aleema Khan’s sit-in at Adiala Jail

During the proceedings, the defence counsel, Faisal Malik, objected to recording Aleema Khan’s statement. Malik requested the court not to include the statement in the record.

The prosecutor countered, asking why it should not be recorded. Aleema Khan remarked that she should be allowed to speak, questioning the delay if the authorities intended to imprison her.

Prosecutor Zaheer Shah told the court that the verdict had already been delivered, and a re-hearing had no legal basis, but suggested recording the witnesses’ statements as a compromise.

The court ruled that there was no legal justification for a rehearing in the same court and maintained its existing orders.

Subsequently, the defence filed a request to mark attendance, and the court issued a notice to the prosecution. Judge Amjad Ali Shah adjourned the next hearing to December 15.

Media Talk

Aleema Khan said they would “not be intimidated by water cannons” and insisted that supporters would “not abandon their leader”.

Aleema was referring to early Wednesday when the police used a water cannon to disperse a sit-in led by her outside Adiala Jail after authorities declined permission for a meeting with incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

She claimed that Bushra Bibi had been allowed only 40 minutes of visitation in two months, while she herself had had only one hour to meet the PTI founder. She criticised those questioning why women were outside the jail at 2am, saying they had been “peacefully demanding their rights”.

Read more: Negotiations underway as PTI sit-in continues outside Adiala jail

She alleged that “a few influential groups” controlled industries related to minerals, sugar and wheat, and that they could “import or export at will”, while the public remained “their subjects”.

She claimed that the PTI founder had been placed in solitary confinement and often told supporters that “if you remain submissive today, your future generations will be the same”.

Referring to comments made on television predicting a five‑year sentence for her, she said that the constitution guaranteed her the right to free expression. Aleema added that if force was used against them, they would “embrace martyrdom”, stating that they were “no longer afraid”.

She said that those “betraying Pakistan” were the ones calling PTI supporters traitors, which she described as “a badge of honour”. Further stating that Imran was “standing firm for the truth” and that his stance had “raised Pakistan’s standing internationally”.

Also read: PTI says Imran 'not a security threat'

D-Chowk Protest

On November 13, 2023, Imran made a “final call” for nationwide protests to be held on November 24, demanding the restoration of PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of imprisoned party members, and the reversal of the 26th Amendment, which he claimed had empowered a “dictatorial regime”.

The protest took place in D-Chowk, Islamabad, where supporters travelled from different provinces to heed Khan’s call.

The state rejected any possibility of negotiation, and an operation was conducted against the protestors, prompting the PTI leadership to flee the scene. The protest ended with the operation on November 26.

A notice was also sent to her guarantor, summoning them to appear before the court, and the court also cancelled Aleema Khan's surety bonds.