The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore has dismissed bail pleas filed by founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan in connection with eight cases, including the Jinnah House attack, Askari Tower attack, and Shadman police station arson case.
The verdict was delivered by Admin Judge Manzar Ali Gul, following arguments presented by Special Prosecutor Rao Abdul Jabbar Khan and Prosecutor Rana Azhar, who strongly opposed the bail requests.
The PTI founder is facing charges of allegedly plotting and orchestrating arson attacks on May 9, a day marked by widespread unrest and vandalism following his arrest. The prosecution emphasized the severity of the accusations and urged the court to reject the bail applications, citing potential threats to public safety and ongoing investigations.
In defense, the PTI founder's lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, argued for bail, asserting that his client had no direct involvement in the incidents and was being targeted for political reasons. However, the court ruled in favor of the prosecution, dismissing the bail applications in all eight cases.
This decision is a significant blow to the PTI leader as legal challenges continue to mount amid ongoing political turmoil in the country.