Replies sought on plea to club May 9 cases

A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC), led by Justice Shahbaz Rizvi, has directed the relevant authorities to respond by August 20 regarding the maintainability of a petition seeking to consolidate all cases related to the May 9 riots.

The riots erupted following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan.

The petitioner, Muhammad Bilal, argued that hundreds of cases were registered against PTI leaders, workers, and supporters across Punjab in connection with the May 9 incidents.

He highlighted that despite allegations of conspiracy against Imran Khan and the arrest of thousands, no investigation has been completed, even after a year.

Bilal expressed concerns over the delay, questioning why the investigations have stalled and raising doubts about the effectiveness of the judicial system. The petitioner urged the court to consolidate all cases related to the May 9 riots and called for the formation of a judicial commission to ensure an impartial investigation.