Islamabad (Web Desk): A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Wednesday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, former federal minister Asad Umar and others in a case related to protests and vandalism on May 9.
Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Shabbir took up the case and ordered acquittal after hearing the pleas that were filed separately by the accused under Section 249.
Amina Ali, Sardar Masroof Khan, and Mohsin Ghaffar appeared as counsels for PTI leaders.
The court ruled that the accused cannot be punished and pursuing the trial would be a waste of time.
"Therefore, the acquittal requests of Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Raja Khurram Shahzad are accepted."
Meanwhile, the acquittal requests of Ali Nawaz Awan, Faisal Javed, Abid Hussain, and Zaheer Khan were also accepted.
The court also ruled that accused Asad Umar, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Faisal Javed are on bail and can withdraw their bonds.
It is pertinent to mention the case against the accused was registered on May 26, 2023, at Tarnol police station.
Earlier on February 10, a court in Rawalpindi had granted bail to PTI founder and former premier Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cases related to May 9 incidents.
Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Malik Ijaz took up the case and ordered both the accused to submit surety bonds worth Rs100,000 each.
The PTI founder got bail in 12 cases while Qureshi was granted bail in 13 cases.
On May 9, 2023, former premier Imran Khan’s alleged supporters and workers resorted to violence attacking and ransacking military installation including the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the corps commander house in Lahore in protest against the arrest of the party chief in graft case.
Later, dozens of PTI leaders and workers were arrested in connection with May 9 violence, while several leaders parted ways with the party.
The PTI founder was named as main accused in all the May 9 riots cases.
It is pertinent to mention that former premier Imran Khan and ex foreign minister Qureshi were sentenced to 10 imprisonment each in cipher case.
They are being kept separately as high-profile prisoners in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
Moreover, Imran Khan was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in Tosha Khana case and 7 years in illegal marriage case.