ATC also orders blocking of passports of Omar Ayub and Zartaj Gul in connection with protest on November 26 last year
PTI leaders (from left) Zartaj Gul, Sheikh Waqas and Omar Ayub. Photo: Files
An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad has issued an arrest warrant against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Sheikh Waqas Akram and ordered authorities to block the passports of PTI leaders Omar Ayub and Zartaj Gul in connection with cases related to the November 26, 2024 protests.
According to Express NewsJustice Tahir Abbas Supra presided over the hearing and ordered the departments concerned to block the passports of the two PTI leaders, directing that a compliance report be submitted to the court. The court also summoned all those affected and adjourned the proceedings until December 3.
On November 26 last year, authorities broke up a PTI protest organized with the stated aim of forcing the federal government to release party founder Imran Khan and reverse a constitutional amendment by launching a heavy-handed crackdown a day after the protesters entered Islamabad.
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Earlier this year, the Ministry of Communications revealed in the National Assembly that the government suffered a loss of Rs151 million due to the closure of highways during the protest.
Outlining details of the losses caused by the opposition party’s protests in a written response to the lower house of Parliament, Communications Minister Aleem Khan said the highways were closed due to public order concerns, noting that intelligence reports indicated that the protesters, armed with sticks and slingshots, planned to disrupt the peace and cause damage to public property.
IHC summons officials in case over PTI founder’s prison assembly ban
Meanwhile, in another development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notices to officials in a contempt of court petition filed over denial of a meeting with the PTI founder. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard the case on a petition filed by Salman’s lawyer Akram Raja. Raja told the court that despite a written order, he was not allowed to meet the PTI founder last Tuesday.
Raja requested that the Deputy Registrar (Judicial) be directed to accompany him to the jail to ensure that the meeting could take place. However, the judge denied the request, stating: “No, we cannot send an agent with you; we will issue opinions and the matter will proceed according to law. »
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Calling the Deputy Attorney General to the podium, Justice Tahir questioned why the meeting was blocked despite court orders. “If Salman Akram Raja cannot meet his client in prison, how will he help us in the Twitter (X) case?” he remarked.
The deputy attorney general said he would forward the case to the relevant authorities. The court then issued notices to the Secretary of the Interior, the prison director and other officials, requesting a written response.
