IHC overturns 10-year sentences of 4 PTI workers
The Lahore High Court ruled on Thursday that former prime minister Imran Khan was involved in a conspiracy behind the violent events of May 9, 2023, citing testimonies from two police officials.
The court dismissed Imran’s post-arrest bail petition, noting sufficient grounds for criminal conspiracy and abetment.
According to the written order, statements by Inspector Ismat Kamal and Assistant Sub-Inspector Hassan Afzal place Imran as the one who perpetrated meetings held on May 4 at Chakri Rest Area, Rawalpindi, and on May 7 and 9 in Lahore. The court said this undermines the argument that Imran was in jail during the violence on May 9.
“These statements attract the provisions of Section 120-B and Section 121-A of the Pakistan Penal Code,” reads the judgment. Both sections deal with criminal conspiracy and abetment of mutiny, which carry serious legal consequences. During the hearing, the court observed that Imran’s prior conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case was uncontested. It also said that his alleged statements and actions had led to the loss of lives and damage to state property.
The prosecution submitted audio and video clips, including transcripts prepared by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, which require forensic examination. The authorities had obtained court permission to conduct photogrammetry, polygraph and voice-matching tests within jail premises. However, investigators reported that Imran repeatedly refused to cooperate, hindering progress. The court concluded that the charges fall under the prohibitory clause of Section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which bars bail in serious offences. It found no new circumstances to justify further inquiry or release on bail. “In collective consideration of the facts…we are not inclined to grant post-arrest bail to the petitioner,” the court stated, dismissing the petition outright.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court on Thursday acquitted four PTI members who had been convicted on charges of attacking a police station during the violent May 9 riots.
An Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad had sentenced PTI MNA Abdul Latif and 11 other party members were convicted under various charges on May 30 for attacking the Ramna police station in Islamabad.
Following the verdict, the police took the four of the convicted members present in the court, namely Mira Khan, Muhammad Akram, Shahzeb, and Sohail Khan, into custody.
During Thursday’s hearing, Justice Azam Khan and Justice Khadim Soomro acquitted the four convicts after the prosecution was unable to prove their presence at the scene of the protest based on the witnesses’ accounts.
