ISLAMABAD:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) is set to announce its verdict today on the bail petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in eight cases linked to the May 9, 2023, riots.
These cases involve allegations of inciting violence, damaging public property, and disrupting law and order during the protests and unrest that followed the controversial events of that day.
Court Proceedings and Arguments
A two-member bench comprising Justice Shehbaz Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mehmood had reserved the verdict after hearing detailed arguments from both the prosecution and defense.
The prosecution accused Imran Khan of directing party leaders and workers to target military installations and circulate anti-army slogans on social media platforms.
An audio recording allegedly of the PTI founder was analyzed for forensic voice comparison, though Imran Khan declined to participate in the voice-matching test.
Defense and Legal Context
Barrister Salman Safdar, representing Imran Khan, argued that the former prime minister was implicated later in the process and that several interim bail requests have remained pending for over a year and a half.
He highlighted that Khan’s legal situation differs as he was already in custody when these cases were filed.
Earlier, on November 27, 2024, an anti-terrorism court denied bail in these eight cases, making today’s verdict highly anticipated.
