Lahore (Web Desk): An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Saturday handed over nephew of former premier Imran Khan and son of Aleema Khan, Shershah Khan to police on five-day for investigation related to the violent unrest that took place on May 9.
The order was passed by ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gill, following a similar decision the previous day to detain Shershah’s brother, Shahrez Khan, for eight days in connection with the same incident.
Notably, both individuals were only formally named as suspects over two years after the riots occurred.
As per the court record, Shahrez was apprehended on August 21 and presented before the court on August 22, while Shershah was taken into custody on August 22 and appeared in court the next day.
The prosecution claimed that Shershah was present at the scene of the disturbances, supported by video evidence. Police had sought a 30-day remand to continue their inquiries, including efforts to access the accused’s social media accounts, but the court approved only five days of detention.
Salman Akram Raja, the General Secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), criticized the delayed arrests, calling them a form of political persecution, emphasizing that Shershah lacks any political affiliations. Lawyer Rana Mudassar Umar echoed these sentiments, suggesting the delay revealed malicious intent on the part of prosecutors and requesting the court to dismiss the charges against Shershah.
A day earlier, the court had also placed Shahrez in police custody for eight days regarding the same case. Authorities told the court that Shahrez’s name appeared in two supplementary statements dated September 23, 2023.
Raja dismissed this move as absurd, asserting that authorities had “suddenly recalled” the suspects long after the events despite evidence showing no political involvement on their part.
He argued Shahrez’s detention was part of a broader crackdown, highlighting that Aleema Khan’s residence was raided shortly after the Supreme Court granted bail to Imran Khan following his arrest. Raja pointed out that Shahrez was in Chitral between May 6 and 13, urging the court to clear him of charges since Aleema Khan had already been exonerated.
The judge requested further clarification from the investigating officer about Shahrez’s alleged role.
After briefly reviewing the case files, the police confirmed that Shahrez was not wanted in connection with any other riot-related cases. Raja added that Shahrez, being an athlete, should not be wrongfully implicated as it would harm Pakistan’s image internationally.
The May 9 riots erupted nationwide after the arrest of Imran Khan, prompting protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members targeting both civilian and military sites, including Jinnah House and the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
The military condemned the violence as a “Black Day” and decided to prosecute the protesters under the Army Act.
So far, military courts have convicted 25 individuals, including another nephew of Imran Khan, Hassan Khan Niazi, and sentenced 60 others.
Earlier this year, 19 convicts had their sentences commuted following successful appeals for mercy.