Aleema Khan’s Request to Travel Abroad Rejected By ATC

A Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court (ATC) has rejected a plea from Aleema Khan, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, seeking permission to travel abroad. The court’s decision comes amid multiple legal challenges she is currently facing.

The plea, aimed at securing a temporary exemption from court appearances, was filed to allow Aleema Khan to attend international fundraising events for Namal University. The application was heard and decided by Judge Amjad Ali Shah, who announced the verdict after reviewing arguments from both the defence and prosecution.

Aleema’s legal team, led by Advocate Faisal Malik, argued that she was only seeking a brief, three-week exemption and referenced a prior Islamabad High Court ruling which ordered the removal of her name from the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL). The defence contended that the formal case challan had not yet been submitted, rendering her court appearance non-essential at this stage. Co-counsel Advocate Ali Bukhari pointed out that courts had granted similar exemptions in comparable cases.

However, the prosecution, represented by Zaheer Shah, firmly opposed the request. Shah argued that Aleema’s pre-arrest bail application is scheduled for hearing on May 21, and exemptions during such proceedings are only allowed on medical grounds. He emphasized that personal appearance is mandatory in the context of her legal status.

The court was also informed that Aleema Khan is currently facing 11 cases registered in Rawalpindi and has not received bail in any of them. Given the seriousness of the charges and the pending bail petition, the court deemed the application to travel inadmissible.

This development adds another layer to the legal challenges confronting several members of the PTI leadership, particularly in the wake of ongoing investigations and court cases tied to political unrest and related matters.

Source: Web Desk