An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Saturday reserved the verdict on the interim bail petitions filed by former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan in cases registered against him in connection with attacks on Jinnah House, Askari Tower and Shadman police station in Lahore on May 9, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The court will pronounce the decision on July 9.

During the hearing, Barrister Salman Safdar, Imran’s counsel in the case, said that it was in everybody’s knowledge that his client was presently in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, and there was no justification for saying that he was absent. “The court can decide on the suspect’s petition even in his absence,” he argued.

Barrister Safdar, on the occasion, also submitted to the court copies of the verdict given by another court on the PTI founder’s interim bail plea in his absence.

The judge, however, was of the view that the former prime minister should record his statement from jail via a video link, saying it was a legal requirement.

Imran’s lawyer said that he had the phone number of the jail superintendent. “I give it to the court staff so that they could talk to him about making arrangements for Imran’s appearance in the court via a video link,” he said.  

The judge remarked that the staff already had the superintendent’s number.

Barrister Safdar lamented that justice was being denied to his client for the last one year.

The judge, however, asked him to leave this topic. “On several occasions, the case’s hearing was delayed just because of you,” he said.

The judge reminded that the Lahore High Court (LHC) had already given a ruling in the favour of arranging a suspect’s appearance via a video link. “Let’s try it. If it materializes, that would be great.”

The judge then directed the lawyer to give his arguments in the Jinnah House attack case.

Barrister Safdar said on May 9, 2023 he was in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) along with Imran in connection with the hearing of Al-Qadir Trust case. “However, the way my client was arrested from the court premises on that day made people furious who then took the law into their own hands and attacked government buildings and military installations,” he said, adding, “It was three days later that the PTI founder came to know what had happened on that and condemned those incidents.”

Former prime minister’s lawyer said that every case against his client proved bogus in courts. “That is precisely the reason why PTI founder has got relief in 90 per cent of these cases.”

All these cases, Barrister Safdar went on to say, were concocted to politically victimize Imran Khan. “Suspects are released in these cases; they are not arrested,” he said, adding, “There is no justification for accusing the former prime minister of masterminding and assisting in carrying out the May 9 attacks.”

Reporter: Jamaluddin Jamali