ATC discharges Bushra Bibi in dozen May 9 mayhem cases

• Bushra Bibi acquitted in 12 cases by ATC: lawyer.
• Says govt reserved right to challenge ATC verdict.
• Rawalpindi police sought ex-first lady's physical remand.

RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Tuesday discharged former prime minister Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi in 12 cases related to May 9, 2023, riots.

The hearing was conducted by ATC Judge Malik Ejaz Asif at a makeshift court in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail. The hearing was also attended by investigation officers of the May 9 cases.

At the outset of the hearing, defence counsels gave arguments regarding Bushra's physical remand, whereas, the wife of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder was represented by her counsel Salman Safdar and Advocate Malik Faisal.

However, the ATC judge rejected the Rawalpindi Police's plea seeking phycial remand of the former first lady in the May 9 cases.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court decided to discharge Bushra in the cases.

Speaking to media outside the Central Jail Rawalpindi, Bushra's lawyer Safdar claimed that the court acquitted her in all cases in which she was nominated in light of different statements.

He added that the court also rejected the prosecution's evidence during today's hearing and rejected the credibility of any statement from a co-accused.

The lawyer said that the PTI founder was given a clean chit in the cipher case, however, a detailed verdict has not been issued yet.

Commenting on the ATC's verdict, he said that four prosecutors from the state appeared in today's hearing. Safdar said that the government reserved right to challenge the ATC verdict in any court.

Bushra has been behind bars for months in different cases since her arrest in the iddat case — also known as the un-Islamic nikah case — in February 2024, however, she and her husband were acquitted in the said case by a local court which overturned their sentences last month.

Despite getting bail and acquitted in several cases, her legal woes refused to die down as Bushra was also nominated in many other cases, including May 9, 2023, violence cases.

The May 9 riots were triggered by the PTI founder's arrest last year during which alleged supporters of his party damaged and attacked state properties including military installations.

During the protests, the miscreants targeted the civil and military installations including — Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The military termed the May 9 violent protests as "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.