Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday acquitted in two May 9 violence cases. As per details, the District and Sessions Court heard the bail pleas, where Judicial Magistrate Omar Shahab announced the verdict on two May 9 cases registered at Shahzad Town Police Station. The court acquitted the PTI founder in both cases due to insufficient evidence. Imran Khan’s counsel Mirza Asim Beg and Naeem Panjotha had completed their arguments on the bail pleas. The FIR was registered by an unauthorized person and the PTI founder was charged under Section 109, but no evidence was presented, said the lawyer. Earlier, former PM Imran Khan filed a plea seeking an acquittal plea in May 9 violence cases. The PTI founder’s counsel Naeem Panjutha appeared before the court and filed a plea for Imran Khan’s acquittal.

Judicial Magistrate Sohaib Bilal inquired about he number of cases against the PTI founder and asked if the challan against Khan was collected in the cases. Naeem Panjutha told the court that Imran Khan’s Tosha Khanna sentence is suspended, and the sentences in the illegal marriage case, cipher case are still pending. Violent clashes were broken out across Pakistan after former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested on May 9, 2023. The protests were held in remote and major cities as the party workers were agitated due to their chairman’s arrest, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order.  Army installations, including Corps Commander’s house in Lahore, had come under attack during the protests by PTI workers. It is pertinent to mention that the PTI founder is named as main accused in all the May 9 riots cases.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan