Islamabad court orders blocking of 24 PTI leaders' passports

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has ordered the blocking of passports for 24 leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The order is linked to a case involving violent protests held on November 26, 2024, which were intended to pressure the government to release jailed party founder Imran Khan.

Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain issued the directive following requests from investigating officers who expressed concerns that the suspects might flee the country to evade legal proceedings. The court noted that the accused face serious allegations, including the promotion of terrorism and attacks on state institutions. Additionally, the court observed that several individuals had failed to appear in court or join investigations despite having obtained interim bail.

The directive instructs the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to block the passports of the named individuals until further orders. Among those affected are Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Omar Ayub, and Asad Qaiser, along with several other lawmakers.