Supreme Court Grants Bail to Imran Khan in Eight May 9 Riot Cases

Web Desk

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday accepted the bail pleas of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan in eight cases linked to the May 9, 2023 riots, overturning an earlier Lahore High Court (LHC) decision that had denied him relief.

The three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi and comprising Justices Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui and Hasan Azhar Rizvi, ruled in favor of Khan on the basis of judicial consistency, noting that other co-accused had already been granted bail.

Court Ruling and Legal Grounds

In a four-page order, the CJP wrote: “The case of the petitioner has to be positively considered in view of the principle of consistency, as others similarly placed have been granted bail by this Court.”

The bench converted Khan’s petitions into appeals against the June 24, 2024, LHC decision and allowed them. Imran was granted post-arrest bail in all eight cases on furnishing a bail bond of Rs100,000 with one surety in each case.

The cases were registered at Lahore’s Race Course, Shadman, Mughalpura, Sarwar Road, and Gulberg police stations under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, and the Arms Ordinance.

Background: May 9 Riots and Arrests

The cases stem from nationwide unrest on May 9, 2023, when PTI supporters staged violent protests following Imran Khan’s arrest, attacking military installations, state buildings, and the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence. Thousands of protesters and PTI leaders were arrested in the aftermath.

Earlier, both the Lahore ATC and the LHC had denied Khan bail, leading to sharp criticism from PTI, which termed the rulings a “miscarriage of justice.”

Legal Experts React

Commenting on the ruling, Advocate Sarwar Muzaffar Shah said the decision was correct but lacked strength: “The order follows the motto that law is blind, but it should have demonstrated stronger judicial courage given the current erosion of judicial independence.”

Imran’s Other Convictions

Despite securing bail in the May 9 cases, Khan remains imprisoned at Adiala Jail. He is serving a 14-year sentence in the £190 million graft case, while his wife, Bushra Bibi, is serving a seven-year term. Their Al-Qadir Trust property has also been forfeited by the state.

Earlier this year, multiple PTI leaders were sentenced by anti-terrorism courts in connection with the May 9 riots, while some were acquitted. Military courts also convicted dozens of protesters after branding May 9 a “Black Day.”