An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore granted bail to Shershah Khan, son of Aleema Khan, on Thursday. He was accused of involvement in the Jinnah House attack during the May 9, 2023 protests. Shershah was arrested on August 22, just one day after his brother Shahrez Khan was also detained on similar charges. Both brothers have now been granted bail.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) confirmed the court’s decision on its social media platform. Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar, who represents the brothers, argued that no charge-sheet has been submitted against Shershah. He said it was unclear when the trial would begin. The lawyer also claimed there was no solid evidence linking Shershah to the incident.
During a media talk outside the court, Aleema Khan expressed relief over the decision. She criticized the manner in which her sons were arrested. Aleema added that her brother, Imran Khan, remains firm on his stance despite the pressure. “Even if they abduct our entire family, Imran will not back down,” she said.
The defence argued that other suspects facing more serious charges had already received bail. They also objected to delays in producing the case record. Earlier, the court had granted the prosecution time until September 4 to submit documents. The defence said this delay tactic was unfair to the accused.
The May 9 protests erupted after Imran Khan’s arrest in a corruption case. Demonstrators stormed key military and government buildings across Pakistan. Imran and several PTI leaders face multiple charges, including inciting violence. Imran has denied all allegations and claims the charges are politically motivated.