Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's sisters get bail

Islamabad: A Pakistan court on Friday granted bail to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's two sisters, who were arrested during a protest here earlier in the month in alleged anti-terrorism cases.

Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan's bail came a day after Khan's wife Bushra Bibi was set free after about nine months in jail.

The two sisters were arrested during the protest by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from the national capital on October 4 in a case registered at Kohsar Police Station under anti-terrorism charges.

They had challenged the arrest.

Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain of Islamabad-based anti-terrorism court accepted their bail against surety bonds of Rs 20,000 each.

Earlier, the judge during the proceedings ordered all unrelated persons to leave the courtroom before lawyer Niazullah Niazi started his arguments stating that the arrest of the two sisters was “illegal” as they were nabbed on October 4 and not presented in the court until October 6.

“This arrest has become illegal and merits immediate release,” he stated.

Earlier on October 4, the two sisters were arrested from the D-Chowk when the PTI had lodged protest demonstrations in the heart of the national capital area and a case was registered against them at Kohsar police station under terrorism charges.

On October 7, the court remanded them to police custody for further physical remand.

Khan's sisters' bail on Friday was accepted a day after Bushra Bibi was set free after about nine months in jail in the Toshakhana corruption case. After her release, she went to Peshawar, the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, where Khan’s PTI has been in power.

She was first arrested on January 31 after a court convicted and sentenced the couple to 14 years in jail in the Toshakhana case which involves allegations of corruption against Khan and his wife for receiving profit from the sale of gifts received from foreign dignitaries.