Pakistan: District and sessions court acquits Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two vandalism cases

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 3 : A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and party's leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two cases related to the long march vandalism, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
Judicial Magistrate Ehtesham Alam acquitted the two PTI leaders against the petitions registered by Khan and Qureshi.
Meanwhile, PTI leaders Ali Mohammad Khan and Murad Saeed were acquitted in both cases, while former PTI Asad Umar also got relief, according to Geo News report.
Ali Mohammad Khan and Asad Umar appeared before the court and marked their attendance. The cases against them were registered in the Golra Police Station.
The judges' decision comes two weeks after the PTI founder and other leaders of his party were acquitted in similar cases lodged in the Kohsar and Karachi Company police stations for violation of Section 144.
Other leaders of PTI who were acquitted on May 20 included Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Qasim Suri, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Shireen Mazari, Saifullah Niazi, Asad Umar, Zartaj Gul, Ali Nawaz Awan, Faisal Javed and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad.
The development came after a district and sessions court of Islamabad on May 30 also acquitted Khan in two cases related to the May 9 riots, Geo News reported.
In its verdict, the district and sessions court said, "Because of insufficient evidence presented by the prosecution, the PTI founder has been acquitted." The cases against Imran Khan were registered for long march and violation of Article 144.
Notably, PTI founder Imran Khan has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail since August 2023 while several leaders of PTI are facing various allegations in the cases pertaining to violence following his arrest on May 9, Geo News reported.
On May 16, Islamabad High Court (IHC) approved Imran Khan's bail petition in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) settlement case. However, he will not be released from prison as he has been arrested in other cases as well.
Earlier in May, Imran Khan appeared before the Supreme Court (SC) bench in the National Accountability (NAB) Ordinance 1999 amendment case, Pakistan-based ARY News reported.
A five-member SC larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, includes Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi is hearing the case, ARY News reported.
Arrangements to ensure Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's appearance before the apex court bench through video link were finalized keeping in view the apex court's order.