No relief for Fawad Chaudhry as LHC rejects plea to club May 9 cases

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry seeking to club together all cases against him related to the May 9 incidents.

Fawad Chaudhry had requested the LHC that his cases be consolidated and transferred to Faisalabad for trial, reported 24NewsHD TV Channel.

The verdict was announced by a two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh.

The court issued an 11-page judgement that also set a legal precedent by clarifying the principles governing the consolidation of similar-natured cases.

The court declared that Fawad Chaudhry, unlike PTI activist Sanam Javed, is not entitled to the relief of merging multiple cases because the facts and events involved in the numerous FIRs against him are different in nature.

The order further clarified that a trial court, if it deems appropriate, may consolidate cases that fall within its own district jurisdiction.

The decision also underscored that under the general principles of criminal procedure, every case must be heard in the court that has territorial jurisdiction over the matter.

It is pertinent to mention that on February 28, 2025, Lahore police declared Fawad Chaudhry guilty in five separate arson cases linked to the violent events of May 9. These included incidents at a bakery, the Sherpao Bridge, and other locations.

The hearing was conducted by Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Manzoor Ali Gill, with Fawad Chaudhry appearing in person. The police submitted an investigation report detailing Fawad Chaudhry's involvement in the attacks.

Speaking to the media after the court session, Fawad Chaudhry stated, “The PTI will soon launch a movement to free the party’s founder from jail.”

Reporter: Malik Ashraf