The Legal Net Tightens: Imran Khan's Sister Faces Passport & Bank Account Freeze Amid Crackdown

Well, here we are again, watching Pakistan’s political drama unfold with a new, rather pointed development. In what can only be described as a tightening of the legal screws, a Lahore anti-terrorism court, or ATC for short, has issued some pretty significant orders. They’ve essentially moved to block the passports and, yes, even the bank accounts of none other than Uzma Khan — sister to former Prime Minister Imran Khan — and her husband, Dr. Hassan Niazi. It’s a bold move, you could say, and certainly one that sends a clear message.

The reasoning, or at least the official one, ties back directly to those tumultuous May 9 riots. You remember them, don’t you? The country was gripped by unrest after Imran Khan's arrest; military installations became targets, including that particularly egregious attack on the Corps Commander's residence right there in Lahore. These two, Uzma and Dr. Niazi, are now considered suspects in all that chaos.

So, how did we get here, precisely? It seems the investigation officer involved in the case made a formal request to the court. The argument, stark and simple, was that Uzma Khan and her husband were, to put it mildly, "absconders." They hadn't cooperated, the officer claimed, despite being summoned multiple times. And, honestly, when authorities label you as such, legal wheels tend to turn with a certain unforgiving speed.

This isn’t just an isolated incident, mind you. Not by a long shot. This particular order slots right into a much broader, and frankly, relentless crackdown against leaders and activists associated with Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI, party. It’s been quite the period for them, hasn't it? Many key figures have found themselves behind bars; others have, perhaps strategically, defected, and a good number are simply trying to stay out of sight, out of mind.

Imran Khan himself, he's always maintained a staunch denial of his party's involvement in the May 9 attacks, even going so far as to suggest it was some kind of "false flag" operation. A dramatic claim, for sure, but then again, much of this political saga has been nothing short of theatrical. Regardless, the aftermath has been severe: we’re talking about over a hundred suspects now facing trials under military laws – a contentious point for many, naturally. The net, it seems, is undeniably cast wide.

And that’s where we stand today. A court order that doesn’t just impact two individuals but echoes the larger, ongoing struggle for power and accountability within Pakistan’s political landscape. For once, the spotlight isn't just on the former PM, but squarely on his family, caught in the very public crosshairs of a nation grappling with its recent past and, frankly, its uncertain future.