The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi granted interim bail to Aleema Khan in the November 26 D-Chowk protest case, with ATC judge Amjad Ali Shah noting no clear evidence against her.
The sister of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founder was directed to submit surety bonds of Rs50,000 and appear at hearings in the November 26 cases.
The case, registered at Sadiqabad Police Station, lists charges including protesting against the government, chanting anti-government slogans, vandalism, and stone-pelting.
Aleema faces 12 cases in Rawalpindi and has secured bail in only one. Her sister, Dr Uzma, faces two cases, with no pre- or post-arrest bail granted in the others.
After the hearing, Aleema Khan told the media that many PTI workers charged in the November 26 cases could not attend the court hearing due to severe flooding. She requested exemptions for those affected by the floods.
“Today we requested the court to exempt attendance for accused persons from flood-hit and operation-affected areas,” Aleema Khan said.
Regarding the case, she stated that protest is a constitutional right and cannot be criminalised. “No court can rule against a peaceful protest. Any judge who does so acts unconstitutionally,” she added.
On November 13, 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 was held in D-Chowk, Islamabad, where people travelled from different provinces to honour Khan’s call. The state had rejected any room for negotiation and an operation was conducted against the protestors, and the PTI leadership fled the scene. The protest ended with the operation on November 26.
On November 25, a policeman was killed during clashes with protesters at the Jandial checkpoint near Taxila, as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters continued to push through roadblocks and barricades on major highways to advance towards Islamabad.