A district and session’s court reserved the verdict after hearing final arguments in the acquittal petition filed by Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and Sheikh Rashid in the Azadi March case. Judicial Magistrate Malik Imran presided over the proceedings.
Former federal minister Sheikh Rashid, alongside Ali Nawaz Awan and Sadaqat Abbasi, appeared before the court to file the acquittal petition. PTI counsels, including Sardar Masroof advocate, Amina Ali, Rizwan Akhtar Awan, and Mirza Asim, also attended the hearing.
Advocate Sardar Masroof highlighted that the petition was filed last year and expressed readiness to argue it. Judge Malik Imran noted that certain accused had submitted challans to the court.
Counsel Masroof pointed out that the case was based on a violation of Section 144 without substantial evidence, such as CCTV footage. He further argued that the case was not filed by the appropriate authority.
After hearing arguments from all sides, the judge reserved the verdict and adjourned the hearing until June 6 for the announcement.
The Azadi March case also involves other prominent figures including Ali Amin Gandapur, Pervez Khattak, Asad Qaisar, and Asad Umar, accused by the F-9 Police Station.
In a separate development in Lahore, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) extended Imran Khan’s interim bail in the Jinnah House attack case until April 16. The court instructed Imran Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, to present arguments at the next hearing.
Earlier in February, an Islamabad court acquitted Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Faisal Javed, and others in a protest and vandalism case registered on February 26, 2022.