Lahore: Pakistan's incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan has moved the Lahore High Court seeking post-arrest bail in eight cases related to the May 9, 2023 violence, including the attack on the residence of a senior army officer. The separate bail petitions were filed before the LHC on Saturday. In November last year, Lahore's anti-terrorism court had denied bail to Khan in these cases.
Khan, 72, in his petitions argued that the prosecution has failed to establish his involvement in the May 9 violence, which occurred following his arrest. On May 9, 2023, violent protests erupted after the arrest of Khan by paramilitary Rangers from the premises of the Islamabad High Court. His party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander house), Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad. The Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was also attacked by the mob.
Khan said he was implicated in the May 9 cases as a result of a "well-orchestrated plan merely to harass and humiliate him for political reasons". He said the sole allegation against him in these cases is of “abetment”, which has been supplemented by the prosecution most vaguely.
"The trial judge overlooked the fact that frivolous and baseless allegations related to the May 9 events have already been rejected due to inconsistencies in the story of the investigating agency. I have been facing unprecedented political victimisation for the last two years. The May 9 cases are yet another effort by the state/police to implicate me in a criminal matter under the sole allegation of abetment," he argued and pleaded before the LHC to set aside the trial court’s decision and grant post-arrest bail to him.
Khan is reportedly named in 12 cases related to the May 9 events, though he has already secured bail in four of them. The LHC is likely to take up Khan's petition on Monday. Khan has been in jail in multiple cases since August 2023.
