Judge orders all files produced by February 24 and orders all investigators to appear as well
Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Photo: File
ISLAMABAD:
A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Wednesday ordered jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to appear either in person or through video link in the next hearing of the six cases filed against him.
The hearings in the district and sessions court included five cases related to the May 9 unrest, in which former minister Shah Nawaz Ranjha was allegedly the target of an attempted murder, as well as a separate case involving alleged fake receipts.
Additional sessions Justice Afzal Majoka presided over the proceedings. Imran was represented by lawyers Salman Safdar and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry. Her sisters, Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, were also present in court.
Safdar presented arguments on six bail applications, saying Imran had been granted relief in previous hearings and criticizing what he described as the government’s lack of follow-through in the cases.
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“If the founder and Bushra Bibi are not produced here, Adiala prison is available. If they are not produced, the prison superintendent should appear,” Safdar told the court.
He also cited Khan’s health problems, saying stress can affect eyesight, and urged the court to rule on the applications on Wednesday.
Justice Majoka sought clarification on bail applications that had previously been rejected, after which Safdar presented four cases. The prosecution requested time to prepare its arguments and requested a new hearing date.
Safdar further criticized the absence of investigators, saying they failed to appear in court or conduct necessary investigations.
The court ordered that the complete files of all cases be produced by February 24 and directed the investigators to appear with the files in the next hearing. The proceedings were adjourned until February 24.
May 9 riots
The May 9 riots erupted across the country following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, after which PTI leaders and workers staged protests targeting both civil and military installations, including Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
The army called these events a “Black Day” and decided to try the protesters under the Army Law. Following the unrest, many PTI members were arrested and tried by military courts. In December, a military court convicted 25 people, including Imran Khan’s nephew Hassan Khan Niazi, and later sentenced 60 others.
As of January 2025, 19 convicts were granted pardons following successful pardon appeals, although the PTI has expressed dissatisfaction with the limited number of pardons.
The military trials were initially halted following a Supreme Court ruling, but resumed following the court’s instructions to finalize ongoing cases and announce judgments of those involved in the violent incidents.
