LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday denied post arrest bails to PTI former chairman Imran Khan in eight May 9 riots cases including attack on the Corps Commander House.

Earlier, the court after hearing final arguments of both the sides reserved its verdict and announced the same later in the evening dismissing the petitions of Imran seeking post arrest bails in eight May 09 cases.

The counsel of Imran in his concluding arguments argued that he represented the PTI former chairman in 240 cases wherein every possible charge had been filed by the prosecution.

He said the cipher case against Imran Khan reached the Supreme Court, while relief in all other cases was granted by lower courts.

He said initially, the police claimed the conspiracy took place in Chakri, Islamabad and later alleged it happened on social media.

He argued that the police keep switching their claims about how the alleged conspiracy of May 9 was hatched.

He stated that no evidence had been presented to date regarding the allegations made against the petitioner.

He said the charge sheets (challans) for the cases had not been filed by the prosecution yet.

“Whether a conspiracy occurred or how it happened, these matters will be addressed in the trial,” the counsel argued.

The counsel said he was seeking post-arrest bail from the court not asking for the discharge of the petitioner from the cases.

A prosecutor argued that the PTI former chairman hatched a conspiracy on May 07, prior to his arrest, and conveyed instructions to other leaders about the actions to take in the event of his detention.

He alleged that Dr. Yasmin Rashid and Mian Aslam Iqbal were mainly entrusted with a plan of attacks and chaos.

He said Dr. Yasmin assured Imran Khan that the plan would be executed while Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry were also part of the conspiracy.

The prosecutor said following the petitioner’s arrest, the suspects targeted army facilities and public properties as instructed.

He said the arguments and precedents presented by the petitioner’s lawyer were irrelevant. He said the eight cases in hand were separate and had no connection with the cases in Islamabad.

He said the attacks by the petitioner’s party have not ended yet.

“Even today, rangers and police personnel are being martyred,” he said, referring to November 24 protests in Islamabad. “The petitioner enjoying traditional food like desi chicken in the jail and orchestrates conspiracies while portraying himself as innocent,” the prosecutor remarked. He said across the world, such individuals face severe punishments.

Prosecutor also presented arguments, saying each case of violence has different circumstances and events.

He alleged “Even today, they (PTI) are trying to turn the country into another Bangladesh.” He said the incidents of May 9 were on the level of the Capitol Hill attack and 9/11. The PTI wanted to turn Pakistan into Sri Lanka, the prosecutor asserted.

“This was an unprecedented event and cannot be treated like ordinary cases,” the prosecutor concluded.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024