An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore has found Imran Khan, the founding chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, guilty in cases related to the violence that took place on May 9, 2023, and has canceled his bails in eight related cases, Express News reported.
The written decision, issued by ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gill, detailed that the prosecution had strong evidence against Khan, including audio and visual recordings that confirmed his role in inciting violence.
The court stated that testimonies from witnesses in the Zaman Park conspiracy, where Khan allegedly directed his supporters, were on record.
According to the prosecution, Khan had orchestrated a plan to disrupt state machinery in the event of his arrest.
His lawyer had argued that Khan was already in custody at the time of the incident, but the court dismissed this claim, stating that the conspiracy had been planned before his detention.
The court also pointed out that the prosecution's case was not a trivial matter of incitement but involved serious charges, including directing attacks on military installations.
The court mentioned that Imran's instructions were followed by his supporters, which led to violent actions, including attacks on military sites, government buildings, and police officers.
The court further noted that on May 11, violence against police officers, among other incidents, occurred following Imran's directives. The prosecution presented evidence of undercover police officers who had overheard discussions about the conspiracy, confirming Khan's involvement.
The ATC declared Khan guilty and, as a result, rejected his bails in the cases related to the May 9 events.
The Lahore High Court had also discussed Khan's role in the conspiracy while deciding on the bail of PTI leader Ejaz Chaudhry.
The defence had contested the absence of a specified date, time, or place for the alleged conspiracy, but the prosecution maintained that the plot had been hatched between May 7 and May 9 at Zaman Park.
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