LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Friday extended pre-arrest bail of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan in three cases of May 9 riots.

ATC-III Judge Arshad Javed adjourned the hearing of the bail petitions without any progress due to the unavailability of the petitioner’s lead counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar.

An associate of Barrister Safdar requested the judge for an adjournment.

The judge allowed the request and adjourned the hearing till May 3 and also extended the bail of the former prime minister in cases of attack on the Jinnah House, Askari Tower and Shadman police station.

The judge on March 1 had confirmed the pre-arrest bail of Khan in four other cases, including murder of Zille Shah, attack on police outside Zaman Park, and torching offices of PML-N in Model Town and a container at Kalma Chowk on May 9, 2023.

An ATC on Aug 11, 2023, dismissed the pre-arrest bails of the PTI founding chairman in seven criminal cases over his non-appearance after he was jailed following his conviction in Toshakhana case.

Later, the Lahore High Court set aside the decision of the ATC and restored his bail petitions. The high court directed the trial court to decide all bail petitions afresh on merit.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2024