The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Friday granted bail to Aleema Khan and Uzma Khanum, sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, following their arrest during protests in the capital earlier this month.
The court, presided over by Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, approved their bail for Rs20,000 each after a heated session where their lawyers, Niazullah Niazi and Ansar Mahmood Kiyani, challenged the prosecutor’s accusations.
Aleema and Uzma were arrested amid demonstrations in Islamabad despite the imposition of section1 44 , which restricts gatherings of four or more people to prevent public unrest. The protests witnessed violent clashes between PTI supporters and law enforcement, with demonstrators reportedly defying heavy police blockades, including road closures and containers securing entry points across the capital.
The two sisters, along with over 100 PTI activists, were detained by police for allegedly instigating unrest and causing public property damage. A case was registered against them under terrorism provisions linked to the D-Chowk violence by Kohsar police.
Prosecution’s Argument
During the hearing, Prosecutor Raja Naveed opposed the bail plea, stating that the sisters used a megaphone to incite chaos among the protesters and cited video evidence of their arrest. However, the defense lawyers dismissed the claim as politically motivated, arguing there was no video showing them instigating violence.
Court’s Decision
After reviewing the arguments, the court granted bail, and PTI confirmed the news on X (formerly Twitter), with leader Zartaj Gul expressing gratitude for the decision.
Other Legal Proceedings
In addition to the Kohsar police case, a separate case was registered against Aleema and Uzma at Aabpara police station for alleged interference with administration. However, this case does not include terrorism charges, and bail has yet to be granted for it.
