Imran Khan bail approved in the May 9 cases by Supreme court. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi announced the decision after hearing arguments from both sides.
At the beginning of the hearing, the bench was reconstituted, with Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi replacing Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb. Chief Justice Yahya Afridi asked Prosecutor Zulfiqar Naqvi whether bail could be granted in conspiracy-related cases and whether similar precedents existed.
The Chief Justice remarked that the Supreme Court had previously granted bail in conspiracy cases, adding that the prosecution must prove how the Imran Khan case was different. The court also explained that what is observed in bail issues remains temporary and would not interfere with trial.
The prosecutor referred to rulings from 1996, 1998, and 2014, stating that observations in bail decisions were always interim. However, the Chief Justice pointed out that bail was granted in all conspiracy cases so far.
Imran Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, presented past cases where bail was approved despite conspiracy allegations. The Chief Justice then asked the prosecution to provide any ruling in which bail was denied on such grounds.
The Supreme Court later approved Imran Khan’s bail in the May 9 cases and clarified that the trial court will decide the case on its merits.
