Islamabad court blocks PTI lawmakers' passports ahead of September 27 protest

An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Monday ordered the blocking of passports of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi and 24 other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers in connection with a case registered at a police station in the national capital.

Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain allowed a police request and directed the Federal Investigation Agency to keep the passports blocked until further orders. The order came amid heightened political activity by the PTI, which has announced a nationwide protest for September 27, and as the party’s leaders and supporters continue to face multiple cases linked to protests and alleged violence against state institutions.

The order also covers senior PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, and 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 showed that the individuals had been named as accused in the case.

The investigating officer told the court that the accused could flee the country to evade legal proceedings and alleged that they were facing serious charges, including attacks on state institutions and promotion of terrorism. The court noted that the accused had failed to appear before it and that those who had secured interim bail had also not yet joined the investigation. It subsequently approved the police request and ordered the FIA to keep the passports blocked until further orders.

Separately, Afridi, who is currently touring Punjab to mobilise support for the planned protest, 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. He described the alleged treatment of a chief minister of one province by police of another province as “unacceptable” and demanded an explanation from the Punjab government over why he was allegedly left on the roadside and mistreated.

The court’s order against Afridi and other PTI lawmakers, along with Afridi’s allegations against Punjab Police, came as the party stepped up preparations for its September 27 protest while continuing to face legal cases linked to protests and alleged attacks on state institutions.