Islamabad Special Court reserves judgment on acquittal of PTI founder, his wife Bushra Bibi.  Accountability Court shares questionnaires with Imran, Bushra in 190m pounds case.

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD  -  An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Friday granted bail to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in four cases related to the May 9 riots.

ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the verdict on the bail applications of the PTI founder and directed him to furnish surety bonds of Rs. 500,000 to avail the relief.

During the proceedings, Prosecutor General Punjab Syed Farhad Ali Shah presented arguments on the bail applications, stating that the PTI founder had created a narrative that, if he were arrested, certain actions should be taken. He submitted that party leadership attacked sensitive installations following the PTI founder’s instructions. He argued that the bail applications of the PTI founder’s accomplices were dismissed on similar grounds and requested the court to reject the PTI founder’s bail applications as well.

Subsequently, upon completion of arguments, the court reserved its verdict on the PTI founder’s bail applications. The court also dismissed an application by the PTI founder’s counsel seeking more time for arguments, noting that the counsel had already completed his arguments the previous day, and that repeated arguments would waste time. The court stated that the applications should now be decided.

Later, after a short deliberation, the court announced the verdict, granting bail to the PTI founder in four cases related to the May 9 riots.

The PTI founder had filed bail applications in cases of torching the PML-N office in Model Town, setting a container on fire in front of National Park Gulberg, torching police vehicles in Gulberg, among others.

It is pertinent to mention that the PTI founder’s bail applications in eight other cases related to the May 9 riots are pending before ATC-1, with proceedings on those applications scheduled for November 30.

Also, A special court in Islamabad on Friday reserved its verdict on acquittal pleas of PTI founder and Bushra Bibi in Toshakhana II case. The decision would be announced on November 12. PTI founder was produced before the court while Bushra Bibi also appeared in person

Special Court’s Judge Shahrukh Arjamand heard the Toshakhana II case with regard to illegal attaining of a Bulgarian jewelry set by the accused.

The court reserved the verdict on acquittal pleas after the two sides concluded their arguments.

Earlier, the court postponed the indictment of the two accused in Toshakhana II case. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the trial court to re-decide the acquittal pleas of the two accused.

Meanwhile, An Accountability Court (AC) on Friday shared questionnaires with PTI founder and Bushra Bibi for their statement under section-342 in 190 million pounds reference.

The questionnaires comprise 79 questions each. The further hearing of the case was then adjourned till November 11. Nasir Javed Rana, Accountability Court Judge, heard the reference against the two accused at central jail Adiala Rawalpindi. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Prosecutor Sardar Muzafar Abbasi and Defense lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar were also in attendance during the hearing.

Meanwhile, An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday extended the interim bail of Uzma Khan and Aleema Khan, sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, along with Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, and other PTI leaders, until December 7 in connection with the May 9 cases.

ATC Judge Arshad Javed conducted proceedings on the bail applications, during which former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry, Karamat Ali Khokhar, and other leaders appeared as their interim bail was expiring.

However, Omar Ayub, Uzma Khan, and Aleema Khan did not appear before the court. Their counsel submitted exemption applications, requesting a one-day exemption from personal appearance, which the court accepted.

During the hearing, the court emphasized that the investigations were complete and urged the counsel to conclude arguments on the bail applications.

In response, the defence counsel requested additional time to present their final arguments in the matter.

At this stage, a prosecutor submitted a report from the joint investigation team (JIT) and stated that, according to the JIT investigation report, all accused on pre-arrest bail - Omar Ayub, Fawad Chaudhry, Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and others - were found guilty. The accused fall into two categories: those who were present at the scene and those involved in planning, he added.

Subsequently, the court adjourned further proceedings until December 7 and sought final arguments from the parties on the bail applications at the next hearing date.

The accused had filed bail applications fearing arrest in the May 9 cases, which include the torching of the PML-N office in Model Town.