There was some long-awaited relief for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers on Saturday, as courts in both Islamabad and Lahore gave positive decisions in several protest-related cases. These rulings are being seen as a small but important step towards creating a better and fairer political environment in the country. It seems winds of change are passing through judicial corridors.
In Islamabad, a local court acquitted senior PTI leaders, including Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Opposition Leader Omar Ayub. They were facing charges related to a protest held in April 2024. The court ruled that the cases had no legal weight, especially since eight people arrested at the protest had already been cleared during the investigation. Shoaib Shaheen, Muhammad Ali Bukhari and several others were also acquitted. Their acquittal shows that peaceful political expression should not be criminalised.
At the same time, in Lahore, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was granted bail in a case connected to the May 9 riots. The court accepted that Qureshi was not even in Lahore at the time of the incident and was with his wife in Karachi for her medical treatment. His lawyer said there was no evidence to prove he was involved in any planning or violence. The judge agreed and granted him bail against surety bonds of Rs100,000.
These decisions are a positive sign for PTI supporters and political workers who have long felt targeted and unfairly treated. The granting of bail and acquittal of leaders shows that the courts are willing to separate real crimes from political pressure.
There is now growing hope that more PTI workers who were arrested after the May 9 incidents will be released soon. What about PTI founder Imran Khan, who remains behind bars. Many believe that true political stability will only come when all political leaders are given equal space to operate. *