Investigating officer tells court PTI leaders can flee the country to avoid legal proceedings
K-P CM Sohail Afridi (L) and PTI leader Omar Ayub. Photos: File
An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Monday ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to block the passports of 24 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and lawmakers, including Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Omar Ayub in connection with a case registered at Kohsar Police Station.
According to a copy of the court order available to The Express Tribune, Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain issued the order after police sought permission to block the passports of the accused.
The investigating officer told the court that they could flee the country to avoid legal proceedings and requested that their passports be blocked.
Among those named in the order are former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, Junaid Akbar, Shahid Khattak, Zubair Wazir and several other PTI lawmakers.
“As per available records, all the accused persons [are] implicated with heinous allegations regarding attack on state institutions and advancing the cause. An instant FIR has been registered on 26.11.2026, but accused persons named above have failed to surrender before the court and some accused named above who obtained ad-interim bail from this court had not joined the investigation of instant case till date despite lapse of considerable period,” said the order.
Read More: Court rejects PTI plea in Nov 26 case
The court allowed the investigating officer’s request and directed the FIA authorities to impound the passports of the accused persons until further orders.
The cases against the PTI workers were registered at Margalla and Kohsar police stations. These FIRs include various charges connected to protest activities that took place in the federal capital on Nov 26 in 2023.
Last week, the ATC in Islamabad also maintained arrest warrants for CM Afridi, PTI lawmaker Junaid Akbar and several other accused in a case related to the November 26 protest.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Supra rejected exemption applications filed by the accused who failed to appear for the hearing and ordered police to submit the challan against Afridi and the other accused as soon as possible.
The court also ordered the issuance of arrest warrants for the accused who were absent from the proceedings.
According to police records, multiple first information reports (FIRs) have been registered against Afridi at police stations across Islamabad. The ATC had issued his arrest warrants in November in a case involving alleged arson during the November 26 protest.
Also Read: ATC extends interim bail for PTI leaders in Nov 26 protest cases
The Cyber Crime Wing in Islamabad has also registered two separate cases against Afridi. The case being heard by the ATC was registered at Margalla Police Station against Afridi and others.
Proceedings to declare the K-P chief minister and the other accused proclaimed offenders were also under way.
