ATC fined her Rs 10,000 for alleged obstruction in recording statements of witnesses in the case filed against her.
Aleema Khan was briefly remanded in judicial custody and barred from leaving the court premises in Rawalpindi on Wednesday until the court adjourned.
The anti-terrorism court presided over the hearing in a case related to the November 26 protest in which Aleema Khan and 11 others were accused. The case was registered at Sadiqabad police station. The court ordered Aleema Khan to be taken into temporary police custody. “My lawyer is busy in the Supreme Court, please allow me to leave,” Aleema pleaded in court.
Prosecutor Zaheer Shah said that under Section 351 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the accused must be kept in judicial custody. He added that even if the accused is out on bail, she cannot leave without the court’s permission.
When Aleema attempted to leave the courtroom, police officers detained her and returned her to the courtroom. The court ordered that the accused should not leave the court premises.
Aleema Khan’s lawyer Faisal Malik also reached the court. Female police officers escorted her back to the courtroom. When Aleema returned to the courtroom, she was visibly distraught. The court ordered him to remain in the courtroom until the hearing concludes.
Aleema Khan was fined Rs 10,000 by the court for alleged obstruction in recording statements of witnesses in a case filed against her. The fine was imposed after the prosecution objected to an attempt to delay the recording of witness statements.
The hearing of the case was adjourned until December 1. Aleema Khan, along with all other accused, was given permission to leave the court until the next hearing. However, he was ordered to appear in court on December 1.
Aleema Khan’s lawyer secured an extension in a written application, noting that her witnesses had attended previous hearings and are now ready to give their statements.
The next hearing will hear arguments on his request to restore his bank accounts. The court will also hear arguments on his request to remove terrorism charges under Section 7 ATA related to the case. Five government witnesses have also been called for Monday’s trial.
Hearings in the case have been marred by controversy. Aleema Khan was absent from many of the case hearings, prompting the court to issue asset seizure threats and 11 arrest warrants. The ATC had also ordered his national identity card (NIC) and passport to be blocked. He finally appeared in court for his hearing on November 20.
Talk with the media
Aleema Khan was surrounded by police when she left the ATC to speak to the media, although under the law they could not have detained her. “The court has not issued any arrest warrant,” the officials said, adding that the issue of Aleema Khan’s custody would be taken up in the next hearing.
Aleema Khan explained that she had gone to the Supreme Court and sought time from the court, which led to a long discussion with the prosecution. He noted that when the prosecutor’s office itself requests time from the court, problems usually do not arise.
Regarding the frozen accounts of Shaukat Khanum and Namal, Aleema Khan claimed that she had approached the court on the matter. She said: “I asked for my accounts to be frozen. Freezing the accounts of Namal and others affects the future of the children.”
Aleema Khan told reporters that when she returned to the court after speaking to the media, the door was locked from the outside.
She added, “I have not been found guilty in the cases of Shaukat Khanum and Namal, so how can the accounts be frozen? Even a regular police officer is not following the court’s orders. The judge himself clarified that the accounts were not frozen. He has said that both the accounts should be reopened. This is not something the judge is doing arbitrarily.”
Aleema Khan further commented that she only has one account and one ID card, and would hold those responsible at the State Bank responsible for freezing her account.
D-Chowk protest
On November 13, 2023, Imran Khan made a “final call” for holding nationwide protests on November 24, demanding the restoration of the PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of jailed party members, and the repeal of the 26th Amendment, which he claimed had strengthened a “dictatorial regime.”
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The protest took place at D-Chowk, Islamabad, where his supporters traveled from different provinces to heed Khan’s call.
The State rejected any possibility of negotiation and an operation was carried out against the protesters, causing 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 in court, and the court also canceled Aleema Khan’s bail bonds.
