May 9 riots: PTI leader Hammad Azhar sent to prison on judicial remand

• Court remands Azhar to judicial custody for 14 days.
• PTI leader involved in multiple cases related to May 9 riots.
• Azhar served as PTI Punjab's president till August 2024.
  

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday sent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar to jail on a 14-day judicial remand in a case related to the May 9 riots.

The detained PTI leader was produced before the court after completing his latest physical remand, bringing the total period to 50 days.

The ATC had last extended the PTI leader’s physical remand by 12 days on October 15 in the case.

Azhar was reportedly handed over to Lahore police following his arrest in Multan, with police sources saying that the PTI leader — declared a proclaimed offender — was involved in multiple cases registered in connection with the May 9, 2023 riots.

Azhar, who served as the federal minister during the PTI's tenure at the Centre, resigned from the post of the party's Punjab chapter president in August 2024.

At the time, he cited the "lack of access" to jailed PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and restrictions on his movements as the reasons behind his decision.

He had remained in hiding after being named in several cases stemming from the May 9 riots.

Thousands of supporters of the jailed party founder stormed public property and military installations, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore, on May 9, 2023, in protest against the former premier's arrest.

The riots erupted after the PTI founder was taken into custody from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case.