- Court issues a six-page verdict on denying Imran Khan’s bail plea in eight cases of May 9
- Verdict says Imran wasn’t an ordinary man as his followers acted upon his orders in letter and spirit
LAHORE: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore declared the PTI founder’s counsel argument that his client was under arrest at the time of May 9 riots as unsatisfactory, observing that Imran Khan had hatched the conspiracy prior to his arrest.
ATC Manzar Ali Gill issued a six-page written verdict on denying bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in eight cases related to May 9 riots.
In its order, the ATC held the former premier responsible for masterminding May 9 riots.
It was said in the verdict that statements of those police officers who masqueraded as the PTI workers during meetings held in Zaman Park to conspire May 9 vandalism were recorded, adding that audio evidence of Khan were also part of the record where he could be heard inciting people to resort to violence in case of his arrest.
Highlighting the PTI workers’ participation in May 9 vandalism, the court order said workers alongside party leadership couldn’t stifle the PTI founder’s worst impulses by following all instructions given by Khan to seed chaos and cause disruption on May 9 by attacking military installations, adding that inciting people to violence wasn’t an ordinary matter.
According to the prosecution, the decision to storm military installations was taken in Zaman Park on May 7 and 9.
Referring to the bail plea of PTI Senator Ejaz Chaudhry filed in the Lahore High Court, it said the PTI founder’s role was also discussed during the LHC hearing, adding that he wasn’t an ordinary man as his followers acted upon his orders in letter and spirit without even evaluating the pros and cons.
The court order also said that several incidents of attacking policemen, storming the government buildings and targeting military installations took place on May 9, hence bail of the PTI founder was rejected.
