Imran 'found linked' to May 9: LHC

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has observed while referring to the testimonies of two police officials that former prime minister Imran Khan has been found involved in a conspiracy hatched for the violent events that occurred on May 9, 2023.

An LHC division bench headed by Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi issued the detailed order regarding the dismissal of Khan's post-arrest bail applications recently.

The bench had dismissed the bail applications in eight first information reports (FIRs) registered against the former PM in connection with the May 9 riots.

Inspector Ismat Kamal and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Hassan Afzal had in their statements termed Imran Khan the mastermind of the incidents that had occurred on May 9.

They said that in meetings held on May 4, 2023, at the Chakri Rest Area in Rawalpindi, and on May 7 and 9 in Lahore, Khan had given directions to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership to attack military and sate installations in addition to police officials to build pressure in case he was arrested.

The officials stated that the leader had said that no one should go home until his release. They said the party leadership had termed Imran their red line and said they would jam the country by inciting the public if he was arrested.

The court observed that the role attributed to the petitioner, as evident from the reproduced statements, attracts the provisions of Section 120-B and Section 121-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which stood applied in the case. The reproduced statements of Inspector Ismat Kamal and ASI Hassan Afzal prima facie reflect that a conspiracy and abetment related to the offences committed on May 9 were perpetrated by the petitioner in different meetings, it observed.

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court summoned more prosecution witnesses on July 10 in a case registered against PTI leaders regarding the May 9 riots after the arrest of the party's founding chairman.

The ATC judge recorded the statements of five prosecution witnesses in the case.

Sarwar Road police had registered the case against the leaders over disturbing law and order, creating chaos, arson and inciting the public after the arrest.

The ATC extended the bail hearing till July 8 of Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Umar Sarfraz Cheema and other leaders in cases registered against in connection with the riots. In another case of setting ablaze vehicles outside Jinnah House, the judge fixed July 10 for further proceedings.

Defamation case

A district court reserved its decision on Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif's application for making a legal notice part of the record and to record secondary evidence in a defamation suit against Imran Khan.

The district court judge was hearing the PM's defamation suit filed against the PTI founder, seeking Rs10 billion in compensation over an accusation of offering him bribe to withdraw the Panama Papers case.

The PTI counsel opposed the application, arguing that the legal notice was not signed by the petitioner and no secondary evidence could be recorded at this stage.

The petitioner's counsel argued that suit had been filed after fulfilling legal formalities and the notice had been sent. He requested the court to allow secondary evidence.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge reserved the decision, which is likely to be announced by July 10.

On June 2, the prime minister had replied to the queries of the counsel representing the PTI founding chairman during cross-examination.

The queries revolved around PM Shehbaz Sharif's affidavit, including its content, institution, stamps, attestation and other aspects of the case. The PM had appeared through video link.

He had admitted that his name had been neither mentioned in the anchorperson's questions nor in the replies given by the respondent, but asserted that it was clear that the baseless accusations were aimed at him.