Lahore: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Pakistan has rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in three cases of the May 9 riots. These riots broke out after his arrest in a corruption case. A case has been registered against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder-president Khan for inciting people to attack Lahore Corps Commander House (popularly known as Jinnah House), Askari Tower and Shadman police station on May 9, 2023. Khan’s supporters attacked several important government buildings and military establishments after his arrest in an alleged corruption case in May last year.

Imran Khan is in jail

Anti-terrorism court (ATC) Lahore judge Khalid Arshad refused to grant pre-arrest bail to Khan and rejected his petitions in all three cases. The prosecution compared the May 9 violence to the attacks on Capitol Hill (US Parliament) by supporters of former US President Donald Trump in 2021. The prosecution said the police needed to keep the former prime minister in custody to complete the investigation in all three cases. Cricketer-turned-politician Khan, 71, is facing more than 200 cases and has been lodged in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since August last year.

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According to the news of ‘Dawn’ newspaper, Judge Arshad had reserved the verdict in the case on July 6 after hearing the final arguments of the prosecution and the petitioner’s lawyer. Rejecting the charges of conspiracy and incitement, barrister Salman Safdar had argued that there was no witness to prove that Khan instigated violence. He had said that Khan had condemned the protests and urged his supporters not to resort to violence.