The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday dismissed a civil miscellaneous application filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder seeking restoration of the petition to consolidate multiple cases registered against him, due to non-prosecution.
LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum took up the miscellaneous application filed for restoration of the earlier petition. However, the PTI founder’s counsel, Advocate Intizar Panjotha, failed to appear once again. The court, expressing displeasure over the repeated absence, dismissed the application.
It is pertinent to mention here that the petition was also dismissed due to non-prosecution.
The original petition, filed in 2023, contended that numerous cases of similar nature had been lodged against the PTI founder across different cities in Punjab. The petitioner argued that several hearings were often scheduled on the same day, making it difficult to appear before courts in far-flung districts. He requested the court to consolidate all cases to ensure effective dispensation of justice.
Separately, during the hearing of the case related to the November protest registered at Sadiqabad Police Station in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi, the court took stern action against the continuous absence of accused Aleema Khanum by reissuing non-bailable warrants against her for the second time. The court also summoned Aleema Khanum’s property records from the Punjab Board of Revenue.
According to the details, the report, which has been submitted in the court here on Monday, revealed that 338 kanals (42 acres approx) of land is registered in Aleema Khanum’s name across four districts. Additionally, directives were issued to freeze her 15 more bank accounts. Three accused appeared in person and seven through their pleaders, while the prosecution witnesses and team were fully present in the court during the case hearing presided by ATC Judge Amjad Shah.
The court summoned details of Aleema Khanum’s properties to take further action against her, so that if the absence continues, she can be declared a proclaimed offender and her properties can be confiscated. According to the Board of Revenue report, the properties registered in Aleema Khanum’s name include 51 kanals and 16 marlas in Bhakkar, 1 kanal and 4 marlas in Lahore, and 1 kanal and 1 marla (Mauza Nurpur Kamboh, Tehsil Lahore Cantonment), 64 kanals and 14 marlas in Mauza Sultan, Tehsil Raiwind, 217 kanals and 5 marlas in Mianwali, and 4 kanals and 13 marlas in Sheikhupura.
The court issued directives to freeze seven more accounts of her in Allied Bank Limited and 15 accounts of United Bank Limited under financial measures, making the total to 37 frozen accounts. The absence of the reply by the CDA Chairman and the Commissioner Islamabad, even after a reminder issued first and then a contempt of court notice was reported to the court.
With no response from both sides’ representatives, the court issued non-bailable warrants against them and directed the IG Islamabad to execute them immediately. Moreover, one surety related to vehicles appeared in the court, while non-bailable warrants have been reissued against the two other sureties who have not yet been arrested. The court adjourned the hearing until November 20.