ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan was acquitted on Thursday in two May 9 violence cases. The District and Sessions Court, led by Judicial Magistrate Omar Shahab, announced the verdict for the cases registered at Shahzad Town Police Station.

The court ruled in favor of the PTI founder’s acquittal due to insufficient evidence. Imran Khan’s legal team, comprising Mirza Asim Beg and Naeem Panjotha, successfully argued that the FIR was lodged by an unauthorized person and that no substantial evidence was provided under Section 109 against their client.

Previously, Imran Khan had filed a plea seeking acquittal in the May 9 violence cases. His counsel, Naeem Panjotha, presented the plea before Judicial Magistrate Sohaib Bilal. During the hearing, inquiries were made regarding the number of cases against Khan and whether the challans in these cases had been compiled. Panjotha noted that while Khan’s Tosha Khanna sentence was suspended, other cases, including the illegal marriage and cipher cases, remained pending.

The May 9 violence erupted following the arrest of Imran Khan on May 9, 2023, leading to widespread protests across Pakistan. Demonstrations took place in both remote and major cities, with party workers expressing their outrage over their chairman’s detention. The unrest prompted authorities in Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad to call in armed forces to restore order. Notably, army installations, including the Corps Commander’s house in Lahore, were targeted during the protests.

It is important to note that the PTI founder remains the primary accused in all May 9 riots cases. Despite this, the court’s recent decision to acquit him in these particular instances highlights the ongoing legal battles and the complexities surrounding the events of May 9.

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