Imran Khan's nephew Shershah Khan gets bail in May 9 riots case

Lahore: Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's another nephew, Shershah Khan, was granted bail by an Anti-Terrorism Court on Thursday in a case related to an attack on a senior military officer's house in Lahore during the May 9 riots.

A day earlier, his brother Shahrez Khan was granted bail by the Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore in the same case.

Both Shershah and Shahrez are sons of Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan.

The Lahore police had arrested both brothers on August 21 in what Aleema says was a "phony case". Both were sent to jail after their police remand ended late last week.

"During the hearing on Thursday, Shershah's counsel told the anti-terrorism court (ATC) Lahore that the prosecution had still not produced the case record in the Lahore Corps Commander House, also known as Jinnah House, attack case against his client," a court official said.

His counsel contended that the suspect cannot be kept in jail for an unlimited period as prosecutors failed to produce any incriminating evidence against Shershah.

He pleaded before the court that the arrest of his client was made 27 months after the May 9, 2023, riots, showing the malafide of the Punjab police. Shershah is being victimised because he is a nephew of Imran Khan, he said.

After hearing the arguments, ATC Judge Manzer Ali Gill ordered Shershah's release, subject to paying a surety bond of PKR 100,000, the official said.

Amnesty International and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan had expressed their concerns over the arrest of Imran Khan's nephews, terming it a “political witch-hunt”.

Imran's other nephew, Hassan Niazi, has been convicted by a military court in a case related to the May 9, 2023, riots and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Following the arrest of Imran Khan in May 2023, military and state buildings were attacked by his supporters. Hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and some main leaders have been convicted for their offence.