The Islamabad District and Session Court has issued arrest warrants for Shoaib Shaheen and several other leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for allegedly violating Section 144. The court proceedings, overseen by Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Abbas Shah, addressed two cases related to the violation.
Arrest warrants were issued for PTI leaders Shoaib Shaheen, Ali Bukhari, Aamir Mughal, Ayaz Amir, Khalid Khursheed, Ilyas Mehrban, and Malik Taimoor. The court’s decision came after none of the accused or their legal representatives appeared before the bench, leading the judge to take action and adjourn the hearing until 10 March.
In another legal development earlier in the day, the Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court extended the interim bail of several PTI leaders, including Umar Ayub and Zartaj Gul, in connection with the D-Chowk protest case. The hearing, led by Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, granted bail extensions until 7 February for the accused, who also include Sher Afzal Marwat, Ali Bukhari, and Shoaib Shaheen.
During the hearing, Prosecutor Chaudhry Zahid Asif informed the court that none of the accused had yet participated in the investigation. When asked if Zartaj Gul was present, she approached the rostrum and requested that the investigation be conducted in the courtroom, to which the judge responded, “This is a court, not a police station.” However, he agreed to issue an order regarding her request.
The ongoing cases, registered at various police stations including Ramna, Secretariat, and Kohsar, highlight the increasing legal pressure on PTI leaders amid rising political tensions.
