Chief Justice Yahya Afridi on Wednesday made it clear that the Supreme Court would not allow unnecessary adjournments in bail petitions filed by PTI founder Imran Khan in connection with cases related to the May 9, 2023 unrest.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Afridi, alongside Justices Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui and Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb, heard appeals against the Lahore High Court’s June 24 verdict that dismissed Khan’s bail applications.
At the outset, the court was informed that Special Prosecutor Zulfiqar Naqvi could not appear due to food poisoning and sought an adjournment. However, Chief Justice Afridi firmly responded that the matter would resume on Thursday, dismissing the request for prolonged delay. Advocate Salman Safdar, representing Imran Khan, strongly opposed the adjournment, pointing out that the LHC had already taken six months with 16 hearings and multiple prosecutor changes before rejecting the plea. He argued that the prosecution had repeatedly sought adjournments, testing the patience of the defence.
Chief Justice Afridi assured that no undue delay would be permitted. Advocate Safdar further requested that Khan’s family members, present in the courtroom, be allowed to address the bench. The chief justice, however, declined, stressing that only legal counsel would be heard.
The proceedings were attended by Khan’s sisters and senior PTI leaders, while the matter was adjourned until Thursday.
In its detailed verdict, the LHC bench, comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa, ruled that Imran Khan’s claim of being in jail during the May 9 violence held no weight. The judgment highlighted witness testimonies from police officials who allegedly attended PTI meetings where Khan directed leaders to target military installations if arrested.
The court held that such statements clearly invoked Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 121-A (conspiracy to wage war against the state) of the Pakistan Penal Code. It maintained that the conspiracy and abetment were planned by Khan on May 4 at Chakri, May 7, and again on May 9 in Lahore.
