ATC issues non-bailable arrest warrant for Aleema in Nov 26 protest case

RAWALPINDI: Judge Amjad Ali Shah of the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Aleema Khan after she failed to appear in court.

The court directed the relevant authorities to arrest Aleema and present her before the court on October 19. ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah observed that her repeated absence amounted to an obstruction of judicial proceedings. Given Aleema’s absence, the court could not record witness statements in the November 26 protest case, which was lodged at the Sadiqabad Police Station. Arrest warrants were earlier issued as well. A notice was also sent to her guarantor, summoning them to appear before the court on October 19.

In a related development, the Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad heard pre-arrest bail petitions from three PTI MNAs—Asif Khan, Sajid Khan Mohammad, and one other—in the November 26 D-Chowk protest case. All three bail pleas were rejected by Judge Tahir Abbas Supra because the petitioners had failed to appear in court