- Suspects’ lawyer questions how trial could be completed in four months.
- CJP Yahya Afridi remarks anti-terrorism court is capable of performing.
- Punjab govt has sought cancellation of bails of suspects in May 9 cases.
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has ordered the trial court to wrap up the long-standing cases linked to May 9 vandalism and decide on the matter with in four months.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, heard the Punjab government’s petition regarding the cancellation of bail for the suspects in the May 9 events.
During the proceedings, one of the suspects’ lawyers questioned how the trial could be completed in four months, saying that there were 35 cases against them, and it would not be possible to complete the trial in such a short time.
At this, the CJP remarked: “There was the case of Mashal Khan’s murder in Mardan, at that time I was the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court. The trial of the Mashal Khan murder case was completed in three months. The anti-terrorism court is capable of performing.”
It is worth mentioning that the apex court had directed the trial court during yesterday’s hearing to make decisions within three months in some of the cases related to the bail cancellation of May 9 suspects.
Hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers had been arrested under a government-led crackdown on elements involved in the events that took place on May 9, 2022, which saw military installations being vandalised across the country.
The riots were triggered by the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case. During the protests, the miscreants targeted the civil and military installations including — corps commander house in Lahore and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
Several PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after their arrests, while many still remain behind the bars.