Pakistan court orders passport blocking of KP CM Sohail Afridi, 24 lawmakers
An Islamabad anti-terrorism court on Monday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to block the passports of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi and 24 other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers in connection with a case registered at a police station in the national capital.
Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain passed the order after allowing a request from the police. The passports will remain blocked until further orders.
The order covers senior PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, along with lawmakers Shahram Khan Tarakai, Shah Ahmad, Sher Ali Arbab, Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, Dr Amjad Ali, Junaid Akbar, Shahid Khattak, Zubair Wazir, Arshad Umarzai, Zar Alam, Mian Omar and Akhtar Khan, among others.
The court said the available record established that the individuals had been named as accused in the case.
The investigating officer told the court that the accused might leave the country to avoid facing legal proceedings. He alleged that they were facing serious charges, including attacks on state institutions and promoting terrorism.
The court also noted that the accused had not appeared before it. It further observed that those who had obtained interim bail had not yet joined the investigation.
After considering the police request, the court ordered the FIA to keep the passports blocked until further orders.
The order comes at a time of increased political activity by the PTI, which has announced a nationwide protest for September 27.
Afridi is currently touring Punjab to mobilise support for the planned protest. Separately, he alleged on Monday that Punjab Police had attempted to abduct him and later left him on the roadside after assaulting and mistreating him.
"Punjab Police will have to answer for this action. This is no joke," Afridi said, calling the alleged treatment of a chief minister of one province by police from another province "unacceptable".
He also sought an explanation from the Punjab government over why he was allegedly left on the roadside and mistreated.
The PTI has continued its political agitation against the central government in recent months, with its leaders and supporters facing multiple cases linked to protests and alleged violence against state institutions. (with inputs from PTI)
