LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a fresh application of prosecution seeking permission 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 riots against him.

DSP Javed Asif presented a report before the court, saying that the accused (Imran Khan) refused for the third time to undergo the tests. He claimed that these tests were essential to complete the investigation into the May 9 incidents, but the accused was not cooperating with the police.

He asked the court to grant another opportunity to conduct these tests.

Opposing the prosecution’s request, PTI’s legal counsel Rana Mudassar Umar contended that the court had already granted 26 days to the police for this purpose. He said further time should not be allowed as the police had failed to act within the earlier time frame.

As per prosecution, Imran has refused thrice to undergo tests in 12 May 9 cases

ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill observed that if the accused were an ordinary person, the police would have already taken him to the forensic laboratory for the tests.

However, he noted that in the present case, the accused was in jail and the police cannot compel him to undergo the tests.

The judge said the court would examine the matter and announce a decision shortly.

Previously, the judge had twice allowed the police to conduct the tests of Imran Khan.

The police had sought permission to conduct the tests inside Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, where Imran Khan 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.

However, when the police investigation team visited him in the jail, he refused to undergo the tests.

As many as 12 FIRs had been registered at different police stations of Lahore against the PTI leaders and workers on charges of attacking and vandalising public and private property besides army facilities including the residence of corps commander during the May 9 protests.

The widespread attacks erupted after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in a graft case by the NAB from the Islamabad High Court.

Besides terrorism charge under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, various offences, including waging or attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war against Pakistan, abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier from his duty and rioting were added in the FIR.

WARRANTS: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday withdrew arrest warrants for PTI’s former MNA Aliya Hamza Malik after she appeared in jail trial proceedings of the Jinnah House attack case of May 9 riots.

ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill had issued the warrants for the arrest of the PTI leader when she failed to attend multiple hearings.

The judge adjourned the hearings of the May 9 cases till June 12 (tomorrow) and summoned prosecution witnesses for their testimony.

The judge also allowed a prosecution’s request to present arguments separately on bail petitions filed by former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in six different cases of May 9 riots against him.

During the proceedings, a prosecutor sought more time to prepare and requested that due to engagements in other trials, it would be difficult to argue all six bail petitions simultaneously.

He asked the court to schedule each bail hearing separately.

Mr Qureshi’s counsel opposed the prosecution’s request terming it a delaying tactic.

However, the judge accepted the prosecution’s plea and adjourned the hearings of the cases for June 13, 17 and 20.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2025