ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to block the passports of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers nominated in a case registered at Kohsar police station.
ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain issued the order on a request from the investigating officer, who told the court that the accused could leave the country to avoid legal proceedings.
The court observed that the available record showed that the lawmakers had been nominated in the case. It noted that they faced serious allegations, including attacks on state institutions and promoting terrorism.
The court further observed that several accused had failed to appear before it, while some who had secured interim bail had not joined the investigation.
The FIA was directed to block their passports until further orders.
ALSO READ >>> Fuel relief scheme: How to register and get subsidised petrol
Those named in the order include former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, Shahram Tarakai, Shah Ahad, Sher Ali Arbab, Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, Dr Amjad Ali, Junaid Akbar, Shahid Khattak, Zubair Wazir, Omar Ayub, Arshad Umarzai, Zar Alam, Mian Umar, Akhtar Khan, Humayun Khan, Riaz Khan, Abdul Kabir Khan, Tufail Anjum, Asif Mehsud, Ajab Gul, Muhammad Usman, Babar Saleem Swati, Irfan Saleem, Advocate Ali Zaman and Malik Shahab.
The order comes as proceedings continue against several PTI leaders in cases related to protests in Islamabad.
