LAHORE :The Lahore High Court (LHC) will announce today (Tuesday) its verdict on the bail petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in eight cases related to the May 9 riots.Court staff informed PTI workers and journalists present in the courtroom about the scheduled announcement.
A two-member bench of the Lahore High Court comprising Justice Shehbaz Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mehmood had earlier reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.It is worth noting that following the May 9, 2023, protests and arson incidents across various cities, several cases were filed against Imran Khan.
The charges include inciting violence, damaging public property, and disrupting law and order.During his concluding arguments, the prosecutor informed the court that the petitioner had directed party leaders and workers to target military installations.
He stated that an audio recording of the PTI founder had undergone forensic analysis and was intended to be compared with his voice. However, the accused declined to participate in the voice-matching procedure.The prosecutor further alleged that on May 9, military installations were attacked, and anti-army slogans were circulated on social media platforms and websites managed by PTI supporters.
Barrister Salman Safdar, representing Imran Khan, contended that his client was implicated in these cases at a later stage. He pointed out that several interim bail applications had remained unresolved for over a year and a half.He emphasized that Imran Khan’s situation was distinct from that of others, as he was already in custody at the time.
Previously, on November 27, 2024, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) had denied bail to the former prime minister in eight related cases.
LHC to announce verdict on Imran Khan's bail petitions in May 9 cases today
