Lahore ATC issues detailed verdict regarding PTI founder’s polygraph test

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has issued a six-page written verdict allowing the police to conduct polygraph and photogrammetric tests of incarcerated PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in 12 cases of the May 9 (2023) riots against him.

ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill issued the six-page detailed verdict. 

The court has directed the investigating officer to complete three critical forensic tests—polygraph (lie-detector), photogrammetric analysis, and WhatsApp data matching—by May 26. 

The verdict further instructed the Superintendent of Adiala Jail to ensure that all necessary arrangements for these tests are made within the jail premises.

The written order emphasized that polygraph and voice matching tests could be beneficial not only to the accused but also to the prosecution. 

“These tests may help establish the truth behind the allegations against the PTI founder,” the court noted, adding that such procedures are a sincere effort to distinguish between credible and non-credible evidence.

The court observed that the investigating officer would be able to reach accurate conclusions based on the outcomes of these tests. 

However, the PTI founder's legal team objected, pointing out that the prosecution had filed the test request 727 days after the case was initially registered.

According to the defense, the prosecution has submitted 12 similar petitions seeking the same forensic tests, which they argued were excessive.

 However, the court maintained that this series of legal moves by the prosecution demonstrated that they were not attempting to delay the case unnecessarily.

 The court further revealed that the prosecution had made multiple attempts to obtain the PTI founder’s physical remand and permission for the polygraph test from various courts. 

Following observations by the Supreme Court, the investigating officer formally submitted a request to conduct the forensic examinations.

Additionally, the ATC sent two formal notices to the PTI founder through the Superintendent of Adiala Jail, but the accused refused to acknowledge receipt of the notices.

 The prosecution argued that these tests were essential to collecting crucial evidence related to the PTI founder’s alleged involvement in the May 9 incidents.

The court adjourned by ordering the investigating officer to submit a report based on the results of the tests in the next hearing.