SC to hear IK’s appeal against LHC order today

TERENCE J SIGAMONY

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s appeal against the Lahore High Court (LHC)’s verdict to cancel his application in 9th May cases today (Tuesday).

A two-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, will take up Imran Khan’s petition of bail after arrest.

The former prime minister on July 26 filed the appeal through Barrister Salman Safdar and cited the federal government and Inspector Imran Sadiq of Gulberg Police Station as respondents.

The Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore on November 27, 2024, had rejected Imran Khan’s post-arrest bail requests in eight separate cases linked to the violent events of May 9, including the attack on Jinnah House.

A two-member LHC bench, headed by Justice Shahbaz Ali Rizvi, also dismissed the incarcerated ex-premier’s bail petitions last month after hearing the arguments of lawyers from the petitioner and the government.

Salman Safdar argued that his client had no role in the violence or arson on May 9. He stated that Imran Khan was in the NAB custody at the time of the mayhem and later publicly condemned the unrest. It was impossible for him to take part in those riots, besides raising doubts over the case on the basis of “contradictions” in the prosecution statements, he added.

The petitioner’s lawyer stated that the First Information Report (FIR) lacked sufficient evidence and termed the allegations of his involvement in the riots as baseless.

Salman contended that the charges against Khan were politically motivated, and the federal government has been changing its narrative repeatedly, comparing it to a ‘cricket strategy’ full of confusing deliveries like googlies and off-breaks.

The lawyer said that several legal decisions had already gone against the government in similar cases, and he presented nearly 25 court decisions to support his arguments. He also pointed out that in all the cases, the complainants were police officials.

The petitioner sought further investigation into the case, as he suspected malafide intent on the part of the police for avoiding his arrest for five months. He maintained that the evidence against him is inadequate, while other co-accused have already been granted bail. He also called the delayed police statements unreliable and asserted that he deserves the right to bail.

The May 9, 2023, events refer to the riots that were triggered by the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case.

During the protests, the miscreants targeted the civil and military installations, including the Corps Commander’s House in Lahore and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

Several PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after their arrests, while many still remain behind bars. Imran Khan has been behind bars since August 2023 after he was sentenced in multiple cases ahead of the February 8 elections.