Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi acquitted in two vandalism cases

• Judicial Magistrate Ehtesham Alam acquitted Khan and Qureshi.
• Others acquitted include PTI's Ali Mohammad Khan, Murad Saeed.
• Ex-leader Asad Umar also got relief in long march vandalsim cases.

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in the federal capital Monday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and party's leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two cases pertaining to the long march vandalism.

Judicial Magistrate Ehtesham Alam approved the acquittal against the petitions filed by Khan and Qureshi.

Meanwhile, PTI politicians Ali Mohammad Khan, Murad Saeed were acquitted in both the cases, while former leader Asad Umar also got relief.

Both Umar and Ali appeared before the court and marked their attendance. The cases against them were filed in the Golra Police Station.

The development comes two weeks after the PTI founder and other leaders of his party were acquitted in similar cases registered in the Kohsar and Karachi Company police stations for violation of Section 144.

Other leaders of the party who were acquitted on May 20 included Zartaj Gul, Ali Nawaz Awan, Faisal Javed, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Qasim Suri, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Shireen Mazari, Saifullah Niazi, Asad Umar and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad.

On May 30, a district and sessions court of Islamabad had also acquitted Khan in two cases related to the May 9 riots.

“Because of insufficient evidence presented by the prosecution, the PTI founder has been acquitted,” the district and sessions court said in its verdict.

The cases were registered against the PTI founder for long march and violation of Article 144.

Khan remains behind bars in Adiala jail since August 2023, while several current and former politicians of his party are facing various allegations in the cases related to the violence following his arrest on May 9.

Islamabad High Court (IHC), on May 16, had also approved PTI founder's bail petition in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) settlement reference, but he has been arrested in other cases as well.