Court accepts plea declaring Imran Khan's sisters, PTI leaders absconders

• Development came after police plead with court.
• Police told court said individuals not complying with probe. 
• Court also extends judicial remand of PTI leaders.

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court has approved a plea seeking to declare sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, including Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, and his party leaders "absconders" for failing to cooperate with the ongoing probe related to the May 9 riots cases, The News reported.

The development came after the police told the court about PTI leaders not complying with the investigation and that they are currently in hiding, despite being aware of their involvement in cases.

The police, therefore, pleaded with the court to declare the aforementioned individuals "absconders".

Considering the police's request, the court initiated the process with Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, Aslam Iqbal, Hammad Azhar, Farrukh Habib, Murad Saeed, Zubair Niazi, Hassaan Niazi, Ali Amin Gandapur, Azam Swati, Andleeb Abbas and others named in the plea.

The court, meanwhile, also extended the judicial remand of the Khan-led party's leaders, including its senior leader in Punjab, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhary, and former Punjab governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema, as the police had failed to submit the challan against them.

The police were, therefore, instructed by the court to submit the challan in the next hearing, while ordering an extension in the aforementioned politicians' judicial remand.

What happened on May 9?

The May 9 riots were triggered almost across the country after the PTI chairman's arrest in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, which led to the deaths of at least eight people and injured several others, prompting the authorities to arrest thousands of PTI workers.

During the protests, miscreants attacked the civil and military installations, including Corps Commander's House (Jinnah House) in Lahore Cantt and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

The military deemed May 9 "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.