In a significant legal development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi have been granted bail in the May 9 violence case.
The Anti-Terrorism Court presided over by Judge Malik Ejaz, entertained the bail pleas despite the prosecution’s request for additional time. Consequently, bail was granted to Imran Khan in 12 cases and Shah Mehmood in 13 cases.
The backdrop to this legal proceeding includes a comprehensive report submitted by the Punjab Home Department regarding the May 9 riots, characterizing them as pre-planned events and attributing responsibility to Imran Khan and PTI’s central leadership.
The report, officially endorsed by the Standing Committee on Law and Order, labeled the violence as a “war against the state,” asserting that the attacks on military and state institutions were orchestrated at the direction of PTI central and local leadership. Notable PTI leaders were explicitly named in the report, including Hammad Azhar, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, and others.
The May 9 violence unfolded across Pakistan following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2023, triggering widespread protests and clashes. PTI workers, angered by their leader’s detention, called upon the armed forces to maintain law and order. Subsequently, military installations, including the Corps Commander’s house in Lahore, were targeted during the protests.
Imran Khan is identified as the main accused in all the cases related to the May 9 riots, making the legal proceedings a focal point of political and legal scrutiny. The granting of bail now adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing narrative surrounding these events.
