An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) — a special court that hears cases under anti-terror laws — on Saturday rejected a police bid for 30-day physical remand of PTI leader and former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Khalid Khurshid. The court instead sent him to jail on judicial remand, meaning custody under court order rather than with investigators for interrogation.
Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain heard the matter after Islamabad police produced Khalid Khurshid and asked for physical remand. The court refused that request and directed that he be placed in judicial custody.
Case tied to the November 26 protest
Police registered the case against Khurshid, who heads PTI’s Gilgit-Baltistan chapter, at Aabpara Police Station over the party’s November 26, 2024 protest in the capital. That day, more than 10,000 PTI protesters entered Islamabad despite a ban on public gatherings and a lockdown, and clashed with about 20,000 security personnel deployed to block them.
Fighting in the city’s Red Zone ended with the PTI leadership pulling back and calling off a planned sit-in “for the time being.” Cases were later filed against several PTI leaders under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, the statute that defines terrorist acts and related offences.
According to the PTI, Khurshid was arrested with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and others at the speaker’s house in Peshawar soon after the federal government imposed an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Oct 11. Sources said Khurshid had been staying at the KP chief minister’s residence since 2023 to avoid arrest by Gilgit-Baltistan police; that account remains unconfirmed by officials.
PTI workers discharged in two other cases
In a separate matter, the court discharged PTI workers arrested in two cases linked to the party’s recent long march, after rejecting an investigating officer’s plea for an adjournment to hold an identification parade. The cases were registered at Shalimar and Secretariat police stations.
Defence lawyers opposed further delay, saying the workers had already spent more than 40 days in custody and that police had repeatedly sought adjournments without producing them in court. Counsel argued the accused were innocent, had been wrongly implicated, and that people were arrested and presented as PTI workers without basis. Accepting those arguments, the court ordered all the workers discharged. They had been in judicial custody for the planned identification parade.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- 2023: Sources said Khalid Khurshid began staying at the KP chief minister’s residence to avoid arrest by Gilgit-Baltistan police.
- Nov 26, 2024: PTI’s protest in Islamabad drew more than 10,000 participants and clashes with security forces in the Red Zone; the sit-in was later called off “for the time being.”
- After the protest: Cases were registered against several PTI leaders, including under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act; Khurshid’s case was filed at Aabpara Police Station.
- Oct 11: The Centre imposed an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; the PTI said Khurshid was arrested in Peshawar shortly afterwards with Babar Saleem Swati and others.
- Saturday: The Islamabad ATC refused 30-day physical remand for Khurshid, ordered judicial custody, and separately discharged PTI workers in the Shalimar and Secretariat cases.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Islamabad ki ATC ne pehle GB chief minister Khalid Khurshid ki 30 din ki police remand reject kar di. Unhein jail judicial custody mein bhej diya gaya hai, November 26 ke protest wale case mein. Alag hearing mein kuch PTI workers ko bhi cases se free kar diya gaya. Ordinary logon ke liye yeh baat clear hai ke court ne police ki lambi remand ki darkhwast nahi mani.
