An anti-terrorism court has granted bail to Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan. Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain approved the bail requests against surety bonds of Rs20,000 each.
The sisters were arrested on October 4 in connection with a case registered at the Kohsar Police Station amidst ongoing PTI protests. Their arrest occurred following a planned demonstration at D-Chowk, where they were apprehended as party supporters began gathering.
According to reports from Express News, the two were initially taken into custody and transferred to the Secretariat police station. An anti-terrorism court subsequently remanded them into police custody for further physical remand after a one-day remand following their arrest.
Aleema and Uzma were presented in court after completing their one-day physical remand. The hearing took place before Judge Tahir Abbas Supra, who addressed the terrorism charges filed at the Kohsar Police Station.
During the proceedings, the judge ordered all unrelated persons to exit the courtroom. PTI’s lawyer, Niazullah Niazi, argued that the sisters were unlawfully arrested on October 4 and were not presented in court until October 6. He emphasized that the arrest was illegal, stating, “This arrest has become illegal,” and highlighted that they were only provided with a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) via WhatsApp just a day before the hearing.
The court’s decision to grant bail marks a significant moment in the ongoing political tensions surrounding the PTI and its leadership.
