Supreme Court has postponed the hearing of a set of challenges instituted by PTI founder Imran Khan over being denied post-arrest bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC) in eight cases related to the May 9 violence.
Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, the two-judge bench took up the matter , but adjourned proceedings until Aug 12, although PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja informed the bench that senior counsel Salman Safdar, who had filed the appeals, had requested an adjournment until next week.
Mr Raja also asked the bench to issue notices to the respondent, mainly the state, through Punjab’s prosecutor general.
The court adjourned the case for Aug 12, ignoring both requests to push the hearing date to next week and for the issuance of notices to the respondents.
In his plea, Imran Khan had argued that contrary to the prosecution’s accusations that he orchestrated the May 9 violence, he was held incommunicado in NAB custody at the time of the alleged offence.
His involvement in the May 9 riots was impossible, Mr Khan argued, also reminding that the Supreme Court had already held that the case of an abettor who was not present at the scene of occurrence stands on a lower legal footing than that of a principal accused.
On Nov 27, 2024, an anti-terrorism court had denied Mr Khan bail in the eight cases.
Which include the Lahore attacks on Askari Tower at Liberty Chowk, PML-N offices in Model Town, the Shadman police station, the burning of police vehicles near Jinnah House and violence at Sherpao Bridge.
The LHC later rejected Mr Khan’s bail plea as well.
The fresh appeal contended that the PTI founder had been allegedly subjected to an unprecedented campaign of political victimisation since his ouster from the office of the prime minister two years ago.
Raja requested the court to reschedule the hearing for the following week and also issue fresh notices.
However, the bench denied both requests and adjourned the hearing until August 12 on the basis of the pending adjournment plea by Safdar.
