LAHORE: The police investigators found PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters – Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan – innocent in the Jinnah House attack case and held PTI leader Azam Swati ‘culpable’ for involvement in five cases related to May 9 riots.
Police investigators shared the findings with the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore as Judge Manzar Ali Gul heard the bail petition of Azam Swati on Wednesday.
Violent protest erupted across the country following arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan from Islamabad High Court on May 9, 2023, in the Al Qadir Trust. During the widespread violence important military installations also came under attack, including corps commander house known as Jinnah House, GHQ Rawalpindi and airbase in Mianwali.
Following the mayhem, the state launched a vigorous crackdown on PTI leaders and workers, leading to arrests and legal cases against several PTI leaders and supporters.
During proceedings on Wednesday, the Lahore ATC announced that the police had completed their investigation and that they had found him “guilty”. However, the judge provided one last chance for Swati to present arguments related to his bail.
“You all should present your arguments for bail, perhaps it will be approved,” the judge said.
Swati maintained that the cases against him were “fabricated”. In response, the judge said that Swati must present the arguments to hold his ground.
“It has been more than a year since the bail applications were filed, and the police investigation has also been completed,” the judge said.
The hearing was then adjourned until Feb 25.
Aleema, Uzma declared ‘innocent’ in Jinnah House attack case
Meanwhile, the Lahore ATC also heard a case against PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, for their alleged involvement in the Jinnah House attack on May 9.
During the hearing, the investigation officer told the court that the probe against the two sisters had been completed, adding that the two were found “innocent”.
The IO said there was no need to arrest the duo, who withdrew their bail applications in the case.
Last month, a Lahore ATC judge extended the pre-arrest bail of Aleema, Uzma and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja in the Jinnah House attack case until February 15.
Speaking to the media outside the court, Aleema said: “After 20 months, Allah has made us prosperous”, adding that she had learned a lot about the justice system during her trial.
“Today, they [the police] said that I was no longer wanted in the May 9 cases. If the investigating officer had appeared on the first day of the trial, the situation would perhaps not have reached this point,” she said.
We had to keep doing rounds of the courts because of the unavailability of the records, she added.
“May Allah not let even an enemy go through this [ordeal],” Aleema said.
