LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday allowed the prosecution/police to conduct polygraph (lie detection) and photogrammetric (facial and voice analysis) tests of incarcerated PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in 12 cases of May 9 (2023) riots against him.

ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill granted the permission to the prosecution accepting its written application, which was opposed by the lawyer of the former prime minister.

The judge has ordered completion of the tests within 12 days, saying the prosecution may meet the PTI founding chairman in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, during that period.

Earlier, the judge heard the concluding arguments of PTI founder’s lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, and the prosecution before reserving the verdict.

Barrister Safdar opposed the prosecution request, questioning the police decision to conduct the polygraph and photogrammetric tests 727 days after the May 9 incidents.

The lawyer argued that bail had already been granted to the former prime minister in 21 cases and the statements on the basis of which the police were seeking these tests had already been declared lawful by the Lahore High Court.

He urged the court to dismiss the petition of the prosecution.

Special Prosecutor Rana Aazar stated that the Supreme Court allowed such tests to fulfill investigative requirements. However, he said, the PTI founding chairman refused to undergo these tests in jail without the presence of his lawyer.

He further stated that conducting the voice match test of the accused was a legal requirement.

He asked the court to grant permission to conduct the polygraph, photogrammetric, and voice match tests.

After hearing both sides, the judge reserved his decision on the plea.

In the application, the police sought permission to conduct photogrammetric and polygraph tests of Imran inside Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, where he is currently imprisoned.

The tests are to be carried out in 12 cases, including those pertaining to Jinnah House and Askari Tower attacks.

Other cases include attacks on Shadman police station and party offices of the PML-N.

MAY 9 TRIALS: The Lahore High Court registrar has issued an amended schedule of the trials of the May 9 cases being conducted at Kot Lakhpat Jail to meet the timeline of four months set by the Supreme Court to conclude these trials.

Last month, a three-judge bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi directed the anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) to conclude May 9 violence trials within four months.

The hearing of May 9 cases would now be heard in jail four days a week — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The jail trials were earlier being held three days a week but have been extended to expedite their disposal.

The ATCs in Lahore are hearing the jail trials of 14 cases including attack on the Jinnah House, which also serves as residence of corps commander.

Several PTI leaders including former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, former provincial ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid are facing trials at the Kot Lakhpat jail.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2025