In a significant legal development today, Pakistan’s Supreme Court (SC) approved bail for former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan in eight separate cases connected to the May 9, 2023, riots. A three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and joined by Justices Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Muhammad Shafi, delivered the verdict overturning the Lahore High Court’s prior rejection.
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Background & Legal Context
Earlier this year, the Lahore High Court (LHC) turned down Imran Khan’s bail applications in the eight cases, which included allegations related to the attack on Lahore’s Jinnah House and other violent May 9 incidents.
In his appeal to the Supreme Court, Khan’s defense argued he was in NAB custody at the time the riots took place—making it impossible for him to be directly involved. They also questioned the reliability of prosecution evidence, citing inconsistencies and delays in witness statements and challenging the sufficiency of the FIRs filed against him.
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Courtroom Proceedings
During the hearing, Chief Justice Afridi pressed the prosecutor, Special Prosecutor Zulfiqar Naqvi, for clarity on the evidence. Naqvi said prosecution relied on:
Three witness statements
Photogrammetric analysis
Voice matching tests
WhatsApp message trails
However, the bench noted that these materials should be examined by the trial court, cautioning against making any conclusive findings at the bail stage. The Chief Justice emphasized that bail proceedings aren’t meant to settle factual disputes, pointing out that allowing such observations to influence a trial could unfairly prejudice the case.
The defense, led by lawyer Salman Safdar, added that in five of the eight cases, Imran Khan was not even named in the FIRs and that the prosecution had yet to formally present the challan in several cases.
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Verdict & Implications
Ultimately, the Supreme Court granted bail, delivering a verbal verdict in favor of Imran Khan. CJP Afridi made clear the decision wasn’t about weighing guilt or innocence but ensuring due process at the bail stage.
While this ruling represents a major legal relief for Khan, it does not affect ongoing trials or his present incarceration, as he remains detained in other cases, including those
related to corruption and terrorism.
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