Court Reserves Verdict in Aleema Khan’s Nov 26 Protest Case
RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi on Tuesday reserved its verdict after hearing arguments in a case against Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, in connection with the November 26, 2024 protest, according to Express News.
The proceedings form part of the continuing legal cases arising from PTI’s November 2024 mobilisation towards Islamabad. Aleema Khan has faced court proceedings over allegations linked to the protest, while her lawyers have challenged aspects of the prosecution’s case.
The case is being heard by the Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court. Previous court proceedings show that prosecutors have accused Aleema Khan of relaying a message from Imran Khan from Adiala Jail calling for protests, which the prosecution alleges subsequently resulted in violence. These remain prosecution allegations and should not be treated as established findings of guilt.
The defence has challenged the case on several grounds during earlier proceedings, including the applicability of terrorism provisions. In February, the ATC rejected a defence argument questioning whether the case fell within the scope of the Anti-Terrorism Act, according to Dawn’s court reporting.
Aleema has also faced procedural action over her attendance in the case. Earlier this year, the court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant after she failed to appear at a hearing, rejecting her request for exemption from personal attendance.
In an earlier phase of the same broader case, the court had ordered her CNIC and passport blocked after repeated non-appearances. Dawn reported that the order followed previous non-bailable arrest warrants connected to proceedings over the November 26 protest.
The court has separately considered several applications filed by Aleema’s defence. Last month, an ATC rejected her request for international forensic examination in proceedings linked to the November 26 case.
The November 26 cases stem from PTI’s 2024 protest mobilisation towards Islamabad. Multiple PTI figures have faced legal proceedings arising from events surrounding the demonstrations, although the charges, evidence and procedural status vary between individual cases.
The latest reservation of a verdict means the court has completed arguments on the matter before it but has not yet announced its final decision. Until a ruling is delivered, no outcome should be inferred from the court’s decision to reserve judgment.
