PTI youth leader Raja Shahbaz Bhatti sent on 8-day physical remand

RAWALPINDI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Thursday sent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, Raja Shahbaz Bhatti, on an 8-day physical remand.

ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah heard the case against Raja Shahbaz Bhatti, the President of the Insaf Youth Wing in Punjab. The police presented him before the court. The court handed him over to the police on 8-day physical remand.

Bhatti was arrested by the police in connection with cases related to protests held in October and September, police said.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) disposed of the petition filed for the recovery of Raja Shahbaz Bhatti after his arrest by the police.

The IHC heard the petition for Bhatti’s recovery, filed by his brother. The police submitted a report to the court, stating that Bhatti was in custody in Rawalpindi in connection with a case.

A report was presented by the police, stating that Bhatti was arrested by Rawalpindi police in relation to a case from 2024.

Earlier, Rawalpindi police on Thursday refrained from arresting Aleema Khan, the sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, even though she complied with the arrest warrant issued against her.

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Aleema Khan for the fourth time in relation to a protest case on November 26. However, it appears the police have decided not to arrest her.

At the previous hearing, the police submitted a report claiming that Aleema Khan had gone into hiding. However, Judge Amjad Ali Shah rejected the report, labeling it as “bogus.”

Today, she appeared at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for a hearing related to a petition filed by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, requesting a meeting with Imran Khan.

Rawalpindi police also arrived at the IHC to comply with the arrest warrant. She signed the arrest warrant and surrendered to the police for arrest. Surprisingly, the police chose not to arrest her. One police officer responded, “Come back to court tomorrow.”

Speaking to the media outside the IHC, Aleema Khan stated that she was prepared for arrest.

“Someone informed me that my arrest warrant had arrived,” Aleema Khan said. “The police came to arrest me, and I signed the warrant, but they left without taking any further action. We were ready for the arrest, but after getting my signature, they simply walked away.”