LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) will announce its decision today (Tuesday) on the bail petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in eight cases linked to the May 9 riots. These cases emerged after nationwide protests that followed Khan’s arrest in 2023.
A two-member bench, including Justice Shehbaz Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mehmood, had earlier reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defense. Court officials informed PTI supporters and journalists that the much-awaited ruling would be delivered during the day.
The cases against Imran Khan include serious charges such as inciting violence, damaging public and military property, and disturbing public order. Prosecutors claimed that Khan instructed PTI leaders and supporters to target military installations and shared anti-army content on social media platforms controlled by party sympathizers.
Furthermore, the prosecution stated that an audio clip linked to Khan underwent forensic analysis, but he refused to participate in the voice-matching process. They also alleged that his statements and actions directly influenced the violent attacks carried out on May 9, 2023.
On the other hand, Khan’s lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, argued that his client had been unfairly implicated at a later stage and that several of his interim bail pleas had remained undecided for nearly 18 months. He emphasized that Khan was already in custody during the time of the incidents, making his case different from other accused individuals.
Previously, in November 2024, an anti-terrorism court had rejected Khan’s bail in the same cases. Now, with the LHC set to announce its decision, the political and legal future of the former prime minister once again hangs in the balance.