An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Saturday granted bail to Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi in all cases related to the incident that occurred on May 9.
The decision was made by ATC Judge Malik Ijaz Asif during the hearing of the May 9 case. The bail approval covers 12 cases for each accused.
It is important to mention that Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were sentenced to 10 years in jail each in a cipher case. Additionally, Imran Khan received a 14-year imprisonment in the Tosha Khana case and a seven-year sentence in an illegal marriage case. In total, Imran Khan has been sentenced to 31 years in jail for these combined cases.
Despite the recent bail approval, both leaders, Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, will continue to be held in Adiala jail. The proceedings for their cases, linked to the May 9 incident, will also continue within the jail premises.
Imran Khan’s candidates have secured nearly 100 seats in the recent National Assembly elections. This has led to widespread speculation among the public that Imran Khan may be released soon. However, in legal terms, his release is not feasible until a high court decides to suspend the sentences imposed on him by the trial court in three cases.
The process of seeking relief in the high court is anticipated to be time-consuming, extending over several months or even years. Despite the public speculation, the legal pathway for Imran Khan’s release remains contingent on legal proceedings within the high court.
