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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's sisters, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, recorded statements before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) entrusted with investigating the May 9 assaults on civil and military sites, Geo News reported.
The riots erupted across the country on May 9 following the arrest of the PTI head in the 190 million pound Al-Qadir Trust case, resulting in the deaths of at least eight people and injuries to several others, forcing police to arrest thousands of PTI workers. During the protests, the miscreants attacked the civil and military installations including, Corps Commander's House (Jinnah House) in Lahore Cantt and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Geo News reported. The military called May 9 "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act. According to police sources, Aleema and Uzma appeared before the JIT and recorded their statements in four cases related to the May 9 riots. In their statements, both the sisters denied their involvement in the attack on the Jinnah House and damaging public property during the violent protests after Khans arrest. Uzma, however, admitted that she was present in the protest held outside Jinnah House but denied her involvement in the vandalism inside the house, Geo News reported. In her testimony, Aleema told the JIT that she was at her Zaman Park residence during the May protests. On July 24, an anti-terrorism court took action to initiate the process of declaring 21 PTI leaders, including Aleema and Uzma, absconders for their failure to cooperate with the investigation in the May 9 cases. The police had informed the court that, despite being aware of their involvement in the cases, the PTI leaders did not comply with the investigation and are currently in hiding. The police pleaded with the court to declare them absconders. Subsequently, the court, upon considering the polices request, commenced the process to declare Aleema, Uzma, Aslam Iqbal, Hammad Azhar, Farrukh Habib, Murad Saeed, Zubair Niazi, Hassaan Niazi, Ali Amin Gandapur, Azam Swati, Andleeb Abbas and others absconders, Geo News reported. On the other hand, the deposed premier blamed the agencies men for arson and shooting in some areas during the May 9 violent protests. In a tweet from his official handle, the former premier had said his party has ample amount of evidence to prove that agencies' men carried out arson and shootings during the protests to blame it on PTI. (ANI)
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