ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday extended the physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan’s sisters for two days in a terrorism case registered against them following the protest on October 4.
Police produced Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and UzmaKhan after the expiry of their one-day physical remand before the ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain for extension in their physical remand in a case registered against them at Kohsar police station under terrorism charges.
The court, while announcing its reserved verdict, extended the physical remand of Khan’s sisters for another two days.
PTI’s lawyer Niazullah Niazi, Ali Bukhari and Faisal Chaudhry advocate appeared before the court.
During the hearing, the prosecutor, Raja Naveed, said that Uzma Khan and Aleema Khan encouraged the workers on the megaphone to stage the protest, “asked them to pelt stones at the police”, injuring the officers, and to recover the mobile phones from which they have made the video.
He requested the court to extend the physical remand of the accused for another 10 days to further investigate them. He said that the accused are not cooperating with the investigators.
The judge asked the prosecutor to inform the court about the grounds under which you are requesting for extension in physical remand.
Did any progress have been made in the investigation, the judge asked.
The prosecutor said that the police have recovered the megaphone on the pointation of the accused and physical remand is required for further investigation.
All this has been done under a conspiracy, police personnel were attacked and one personnel has also been martyred.
Ali Bukhari advocate, while arguing before the court, said that this is the third request made by the prosecution for the physical remand.
The court needs to see facts, he said, adding that if both the sisters were arrested from the protest site then where was the megaphone. Prosecution has completely failed in the investigation, he said.
Can the court give them a shoulder to do what needs to be done, he asked, adding that the only objective is to keep his clients in custody as they are the sisters of Imran Khan.
Faisal Chaudhry told the court that police had arrested both the sisters on October 4 and produced them before the court on October 6.
Both sisters had been recovered from the police station through a court bailiff, he said, adding that this was not the case of recovery but a case of habeas carpus.
He asked where they kept both women after the arrest on October 4. In the same case, PTI regional president Aamir Mughal was also included but he also was not present at the scene, he said.
Chaudhry requested the court to reject the police’s plea and send both the accused to jail on judicial remand.
Niazullah Niazi advocate told the court that at the time of arrest, Aleema and Uzma Khan were carrying nothing. Judge Afzal Majoka had appointed the bailiff, he said, adding that both women had been kept illegally in custody.
He argued that the only allegation levelled in the case is the accused had chanted slogans. Is there a ban on chanting slogans now, he asked.
The court, after hearing arguments, reserved its verdict. Later, while announcing its verdict, rejected the police request to extend the physical remand for 10 days and handed over Khan’s sisters to police on physical remand.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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