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       ISLAMABAD: Ahead of its hearing next week, the legal team of PTI founder Imran Khan has filed additional grounds in the Supreme Court in connection with his plea against the Lahore High Court’s decision to deny him post-arrest bail in the May 9 cases, saying these were essential for the adjudication of the matter.

       These additional grounds include 32 judgements and orders from different superior and lower courts. Besides orders of the several anti-terrorism courts, they also included the statement of police officers made in connection with the May 9 violence in which the PTI bigwigs, including Mr Khan, had been implicated.

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       At the previous hearing, the Supreme Court criticised the Lahore High Court (LHC) for discussing the merits of a sub judice matter while rejecting post-arrest bail to PTI founder Imran Khan in the May 9 violence cases.

       A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, had taken up several appeals filed by the former prime minister. The CJP asked the Punjab prosecution to come prepared on Aug 19 to address the legal question of how the LHC could discuss the merits of the case in a bail plea and then give its final opinion.

       Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb were also on the bench. The CJP made it clear that the apex court would not allow either side to argue on the merits since the matter was still pending before the relevant courts. He emphasised that, due to the pendency of the matter, merits could not be discussed, and directed the special prosecutor to prepare arguments strictly on this legal point.

       Moved through his senior counsel Salman Safdar, the set of appeals had pleaded that the prosecution accused the petitioner of orchestrating the May 9 violence through abetment and conspiracy, but at the time of the offence, Imran Khan was held incommunicado in the NAB custody. The petition had argued that the Supreme Court had already held that the case of an abettor who was not present at the scene of the occurrence stood on a lower legal footing than that of a principal accused.

       On Nov 27, 2024, an anti-terrorism court denied bail to the former prime minister in these eight cases, including the attacks on Askari Tower at Liberty, PML-N offices in Model Town, Shadman police station, the burning of police vehicles near the Lahore Corps Commander’s House, and violence at the Sherpao Bridge. All incidents took place in Lahore. The Lahore High Court also rejected Imran Khan’s bail plea.

       Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2025