The Lahore High Court reserved the verdict on the petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against cancelling bail in seven cases related to May 9 riots.

A bench consisting of Justice Alia Neelam and Justice Asjad Javed took up the matter

An anti-terrorism court judge, Attock jail superintendent and others have been made parties in the PTI chief pleas.

Advocate Salman Safdar’s junior appeared in the court on behalf of the petitioner while Deputy Prosecutor General Rai Akhtar was also present in the court

As Justice Alia Neelam questioned why Barrister Salman Safdar skipped appearance, the junior lawyer replied the former was busy with a case in Islamabad

The judge questioned if the senior lawyer preferred that court to the High Court. The junior lawyer said his senior was busy at Islamabad High Court

The court allowed the petitions to be recorded

The petition challenged the dismissal of his bail plea, stressing that he had been a victim of political persecution.

The petitioner was convicted wrongly in the Toshakhana case on August 5 and his pre-arrest bail cancellation was unjustified and against the law, the court was told.

The petition requested the court should order the bails to be heard on merits and the petitioner should be provided with justice, .

The court adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.