LHC to hear Imran’s petition against ATC’s 10-day physical remand decision in May 9 cases

The Lahore High Court on Saturday fixed for hearing petitions filed against an anti-terrorist court’s (ATC) order to grant PTI founder Imran Khan’s 10-day physical remand for investigation over his alleged involvement in violence on May 9.

The hearing scheduled for Monday will be presided over by a bench comprising Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh and Justice Anwaarul Haq.

Countrywide protests erupted on May 9 last year after the paramilitary Rangers whisked away Imran from the Islamabad High Court in a corruption case. While the protests were underway, social media was flooded with footage of rioting and vandalism at various spots, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence and General Headquarters, the army’s head office in Rawalpindi.

A 13-member team of the Lahore police’s investigation wing visited Adiala Jail last week to quiz the former prime minister regarding the violence and arrested him in 12 out of the total 16 cases registered by the Lahore police over the May 9 attacks.

On Monday, a Lahore ATC granted police Imran’s 10-day physical remand in the 12 cases against a request for a 30-day remand.

The former premier had petitioned the LHC on Thursday against the ATC’s decision. He filed the writ petition through his counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, arguing that on July 15, the ATC had granted his custody to police in a hearing which he attended on a WhatsApp video call from Adiala jail.

He argued that the order issued by the court was tantamount to “misreading” established principles on the law of remand and urged the court to set it aside for being “unlawful”.