Islamabad ATC rejects 30-day physical remand of former GB Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid

An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) has rejected police's request for a 30-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Khalid Khurshid, ordering that he be sent to jail on judicial remand in a case linked to the party’s November 26, 2024 protest.

An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) has rejected police’s request for a 30-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Khalid Khurshid ordering that he be sent to jail on judicial remand in a case linked to the party’s November 26, 2024 protest.

Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain announced the decision on Saturday after Islamabad police presented Khurshid before the court and sought permission to keep him in physical custody for further investigation.

The court declined the request and directed authorities to transfer the former chief minister to judicial custody.

Khurshid, who heads PTI’s Gilgit-Baltistan chapter, is facing a case registered at Aabpara Police Station over the party’s protest in Islamabad in November 2024.

Case linked to PTI’s November 26 protest

The protest took place amid heightened security restrictions in the federal capital with thousands of PTI supporters entering Islamabad despite a ban on public gatherings.

Clashes occurred between protesters and security personnel in the city’s Red Zone. Following the confrontation, the PTI leadership announced that its planned sit-in was being suspended temporarily.

Authorities subsequently registered cases against several party leaders under provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

According to the report, Khurshid was arrested in Peshawar alongside Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and several other individuals. The arrests reportedly took place at the assembly speaker’s residence shortly after the federal government imposed emergency measures and governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on October 11.

Sources cited in the report said Khurshid had been staying at the provincial chief minister’s residence since 2023 to avoid arrest by Gilgit-Baltistan police.

Court orders discharge of PTI workers

In a separate proceeding, the Islamabad ATC ordered the discharge of PTI workers arrested in two cases associated with the party’s recent long march.

The investigating officer had requested additional time to arrange an identification parade for the detained individuals. Defence lawyers opposed the request arguing that the workers had already spent more than 40 days in custody and that investigators had repeatedly sought adjournments.

The defence also maintained that the accused had been wrongly implicated and urged the court to implement its earlier order.

After considering the arguments the court directed that all the workers be discharged from the cases.

The decisions mark separate developments in proceedings involving PTI leaders and supporters arrested in connection with protests and related cases.