Lahore (Web Desk): An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Wednesday granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s nephew, and Aleema Khan’s son Shahrez Khan, in a case linked to the May 9, 2023 unrest.
The order was announced by Judge Manzer Ali Gill, who had earlier reserved the verdict, and the court directed Shahrez’s release against a surety bond of Rs100,000.
Shahrez had been taken into custody by Lahore police from his mother’s residence on August 21. A day later, his brother, Shershah Khan, was also detained on similar charges and sent first on physical remand and then to jail.
On August 30, the ATC remanded Shahrez to judicial custody for 14 days.
During the hearing today, Advocate Mudassar argued that his client was accused of inciting PTI workers during the riots, but despite a detailed investigation, including geo-fencing, no evidence was found linking him to the violence.
He stressed that Shahrez’s name did not appear in the challan, no official had provided any statement against him, and his arrest came 28 months after the incident.
The lawyer added that Aleema Khan had been openly raising her voice for her son’s release, and the arrest appeared to be a means to silence her.
He also stated that Shahrez was in Chitral at the time of the riots, with several individuals submitting affidavits to confirm his presence there.
Mudassar highlighted that Shahrez, being an athlete, was preparing to travel abroad for an international competition.
The May 9 violence erupted after the arrest of former premier Imran Khan, when PTI supporters launched demonstrations across the country, damaging state property and targeting military sites, including the Lahore corps commander’s residence.
The government responded with a sweeping crackdown, detaining thousands of workers and senior party leaders. In the aftermath, many PTI figures faced convictions in cases connected to the riots and were disqualified from their parliamentary positions.