- Ex-PM’s pleas rejected in eight cases.
- Cases included charges related to Jinnah House attack.
- PTI founder remains in jail in multiple cases.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected on Tuesday bail pleas of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in eight May 9 cases including the one related to the attack on Jinnah House.
A two-member bench, headed by Justice Shahbaz Ali Rizvi, announced the reserved verdict after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
Imran Khan had filed bail applications in connection with multiple cases registered against him following the violent protests that erupted across the country on May 9, 2023, after his arrest.
Previously, on November 27, 2024, the ATC had dismissed Imran’s bail pleas in these eight cases.
May 9 mayhem
A large number of workers and supporters of PTI staged almost countrywide demonstrations on May 9, 2023 — when the PTI founding chairman was arrested by paramilitary troops on the directions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with an alleged corruption case.
The demonstrators destroyed public and private properties, attacked military installations — the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) — and ransacked relics of martyrs.
Following the incidents, the civil and military leadership resolved to give exemplary punishment under the relevant laws including Army Act to all those involved in hooliganism, arson, ransacking of public and private properties, attacking sensitive military installations and desecration of martyrs’ monuments on May 9.
The deposed prime minister, who was ousted from power via the opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022, has been facing a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism since his removal as premier.
Imran Khan has been behind bars since August 2023 after he was sentenced in multiple cases ahead of the February 8 elections.
