ATC orders defreezing of Shaukat Khanum, Namal University bank accounts

RAWALPINDI: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi has ordered the defreezing of four bank accounts belonging to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and the accounts of Namal University.

The order came on November 26, during the hearing of a case filed against Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan. ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah presided over the proceedings.

According to the prosecutor, Zaheer Shah, no written application had been filed to freeze the accounts of Shaukat Khanum Hospital. The prosecutor added that Aleema Khan’s personal account had been frozen by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) due to an issue with her identity card, but the prosecution had no objection to defreezing the hospital’s and university’s accounts.

After hearing the arguments, the court allowed the defreezing of the bank accounts of both Shaukat Khanum Hospital and Namal University.

It is worth noting that the court had earlier ordered the seizure of Aleema Khan’s identity card and passport and the freezing of her personal bank account due to her failure to appear in court.

ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah took up the case of a riot, vandalism and arson registered against her at the Sadiqabad Police Station, during whih the NADRA chairman submitted a report confirming the blocking of Aleema Khan’s CNIC and passport.

Meanwhile, a report submitted to the court by the SBP governor said that a circular had been issued to all banks across the country to freeze Aleema Khan’s accounts, after which all banks would implement the freeze.

The court was told that the orders to block her CNIC and passport and freeze her accounts had been fully implemented.