Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to former prime minister Imran Khan in several cases linked to the May 9, 2023 anti-government riots, local media reported. The development comes weeks after multiple senior leaders of his party were convicted and disqualified on similar charges.
The unrest broke out after Khan’s brief arrest in Islamabad on corruption charges, sparking violent protests during which his supporters allegedly attacked government buildings and military installations.
Thousands of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters were arrested in the aftermath, with many charged under anti-terrorism laws. Several cases were also shifted to military courts.
According to Geo TV, “The Supreme Court has approved bail for PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in eight cases related to the May 9 events.” The decision was delivered by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi.
Khan has consistently denied any role in the violence, calling the cases politically motivated. He maintains that he was not in custody when the unrest began and had never instructed his party to engage in violence. PTI, too, has rejected the allegations and termed the terrorism charges baseless.
Earlier this month, anti-terrorism courts awarded stiff sentences to several senior PTI leaders over the May 9 incidents, leading to their disqualification by the Election Commission.
Following Thursday’s ruling, PTI said it marks a significant step forward and noted that Khan now needs bail in just one pending case before he can be released from jail, where he has remained for over two years.
