LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Monday approved physical remand for Imran Khan, former Prime Minister and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in 12 cases linked to May 9 violence cases.
Imran Khan was produced before an anti-terrorism court in Lahore via video link on Monday, prompting Judge Khalid Arshad to question the absence of his physical presence.
The prosecution cited security concerns for not bringing Khan to court and expressed intention to investigate him based on May 9 incident footage. They sought Khan’s physical remand, stating he would remain in Adiala Jail during the inquiry.
In response, Khan’s defense argued against remand in absence of his physical appearance. Usman Gul, Khan’s lawyer, insisted on Khan’s presence for remand, while Azhar Siddique, another defense counsel, highlighted procedural lapses in the video link setup.
Judge Khalid Arshad mentioned briefly interacting with Khan via video link and commented on his demeanor.
Earlier in the day, police formally arrested Khan at Adiala Jail in connection with the May 9 Jinnah House attack, charging him with incitement against the state.
Police disclosed Khan faces multiple cases from the May 9 riots, including the Jinnah House incident, and had requested his transfer to Lahore, which was denied due to security concerns by the Rawalpindi court.
Currently, Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are on a six-day physical remand in a separate Toshakhana case until July 19.
