Aleema Khan appeared before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in connection with the November 26 protest case at Sadiqabad police station, following the issuance of her 11th arrest warrant.
At the hearing, ten other accused and five witnesses were also present. Aleema Khan filed a petition challenging the inclusion of the terrorism clause, Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), in her case, seeking its declaration as illegal. She also requested the cancellation of all arrest warrants against her and the restoration of her frozen bank accounts.
The court accepted her plea for a hearing on the 7-ATA challenge and issued a notice to the government’s counsel, scheduling arguments for November 26. It also suspended the property confiscation process.
The hearing, described as tumultuous, lasted over an hour. During proceedings, the government’s lawyer opposed the cancellation of warrants and the restoration of bank accounts. Despite this, the court ordered Aleema Khan’s mandatory presence in future hearings, canceled all existing warrants, and summoned the five witnesses for the next session.
When asked by journalists about Rana Sanaullah’s condemnation of alleged mistreatment at Adiala Jail, Aleema Khan dismissed the statement, calling it hypocrisy and describing the current administration as a “government of bullies.”
Earlier in the hearing, the prosecutor claimed that the accused had deliberately failed to appear in court, obstructing judicial proceedings and contributing to the prolonged duration of the case, which he described as contempt of court.
