Pakistan: Anti-terrorism court reserves decision on Imran Khan's bail requests in May 9 cases

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 7 (ANI): An anti-terrorism court has reserved its decision on former Prime Minister Imran Khan's interim bail requests in cases associated with the May 9 incidents in 2023, including the Jinnah House and two other cases, Pakistan-based The Express Tribune reported.
During the hearing on Saturday, Imran lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, argued that the PTI founder was being targeted for political reasons.
"In my entire career, I have never seen so many cases against a single individual. Those who were actually inciting against institutions at the scene were not arrested," Safdar alleged.
"How could a case be filed against him when he was in custody at the time of the crime?" PTI chief's lawyer questioned.
In response, the government's lawyer argued that according to a special branch report, Imran Khan had asked his followers to target civil and military installations if he got arrested.
The prosecutor said, "The directive to attack military installations across Pakistan resulted in the events that transpired." After hearing arguments from both sides, the court reserved its verdict on the PTI founder's interim bail requests, The Express Tribune reported.
On May 9 last year, violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested. The protests were held in remote and major cities as the party workers were agitated due to Khan's arrest, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order, ARY News reported.
Army installations, including the Corps Commander's house in Lahore, had come under attack during the protests by PTI workers. Notably, the PTI founder was named as the main accused in all the May 9 riots cases.
On July 3, a district and sessions court in Islamabad acquitted Imran Khan and all other defendants in a case lodged at Islamabad's Aabpara police station. Judicial Magistrate Yasir Mahmood announced the reserved verdict.
Mahmood cleared Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Sheikh Rasheed, Shehryar Afridi, Faisal Javed, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Ali Nawaz Awan, Asad Qaiser, and others of all charges, according to The Express Tribune report.
The judicial magistrate's decision came after the defence, represented by Advocate Sardar Masroof and Ansar Kiani, presented their arguments on behalf of accused Imran Khan, Sheikh Rasheed, and others.
On July 1, at least 140 PTI workers were acquitted in a case related to holding a rally before the general elections. The court found that the accused were not arrested at the spot and no incriminating material was recovered from them. Moreover, local residents had not complained about road blockades. (ANI)