An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has granted post-arrest bail to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan in four arson cases in Lahore and adjourned hearings in another eight ones till November 30.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supreme leader was booked in 12 cases in Lahore in connection with May 2023 violence, including for allegedly attacking the government and military buildings following his arrest in a graft case.
Khan is lodged at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
On Friday, he was granted bail in four cases in connection with allegedly burning the office of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Model Town area, a container near Kalma Chowk, police vehicles in Gulberg, and violence at Sherpao Bridge during the May 9, 2023 riots.
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Khan had sought post arrest bails in these cases.
Punjab government law officer, prosecutor Farhad Ali Shah, argued that Khan made a narrative of resorting to violence in case of his arrest. “The PTI leadership and workers attacked sensitive installations, including military ones on Khan's instructions,” he said and requested dismissal of the bail pleas.
Khan's counsel Barrister Salman Safdar had already completed his arguments on his behalf. However, he sought permission from the court to advance more arguments, saying the prosecution presented arguments contrary to the facts.
He requested the court to defer the decision for one hearing.
Judge Arshad Javed of the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) here then announced the decision, allowing Khan's bail petitions in the four cases.
Khan, who was arrested on August 5 last year after his conviction in the first Toshakhana corruption case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan, has been in jail since then in different cases, with conviction in few of them.
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Separately, ATC-I judge Manzer Ali Gill gave one last opportunity to Khan's counsel to complete arguments in post-arrest bail petitions in eight other cases connected with the May 9 riots, including an attack on the senior military officer’s residence in Lahore.
The judge said a decision in the eight cases will be announced in the light of the record of the cases if the petitioner’s counsel does not appear at the next hearing.
The judge adjourned the hearing till November 30.