May 9 Cases
LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Wednesday rejected the interim bail pleas of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in three cases related to the violent protests on May 9.
Judge Khalid Arshad of Lahore’s Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) announced the verdict today, which he had reserved three days ago after hearing Khan’s interim bail pleas concerning the May 9 riots cases — specifically, the Jinnah House, Askari Tower, and Shadman Police Station vandalism incidents.
The May 9 mayhem refers to the riots that erupted in various parts of the country last year following the arrest of the former Prime Minister in a corruption case.
Alleged PTI supporters attacked several state buildings, including military installations, which prompted civil and military authorities to try the rioters under the Army Act.
Imran Khan, who was ousted from power via the opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022, has been facing a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism since his removal from office.
He has been behind bars since August of the previous year after being sentenced in the Toshakhana case and subsequently in other cases ahead of the February 8 elections.
Khan secured relief in other cases, including the £190 million reference and the Toshakhana case, and was acquitted in the cipher case last month. However, he remains incarcerated due to his conviction in the iddat (un-Islamic nikah) case.
During the proceedings in Lahore’s ATC today, the government demanded Khan’s arrest in all three cases, arguing that his detention was essential for proper interrogation.
The former premier, along with his spouse Bushra Bibi, is currently serving a seven-year jail term at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail after their conviction in the iddat case on February 3, 2024.
The rejection of bail pleas comes as PTI hopes for Khan’s release from prison this month. A district and sessions court in Islamabad is expected to announce a verdict on Khan’s main appeal challenging his conviction in the iddat case.
Last month, the sessions court had turned down the pleas of the ex-premier and his wife to suspend their seven-year sentences in the iddat case.
The ongoing legal challenges and today’s bail rejection highlight the turbulent legal and political landscape surrounding Imran Khan and his party, as they navigate through multiple cases and judicial proceedings.
The anticipation now turns to the forthcoming decision by the Islamabad court, which could significantly impact Khan’s immediate future and his party’s political dynamics.
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