ISLAMABAD: The embattled opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision to grant bail to former prime minister Imran Khan in eight cases related to 9 May unrest, calling the verdict a major step towards justice and a rejection of what it termed a fabricated narrative.
Speaking at a press conference along with senior PTI leaders Latif Khosa and Aamir Dogar, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja described the ruling as a “day of great joy” and a “victory for justice and truth”.
He said the decision marked a turning point for Khan and the PTI, whose leader has faced prolonged legal battles and imprisonment.
“After a long struggle, our narrative has been vindicated,” Raja said, while noting that the Al-Qadir Trust case remains the only legal hurdle still pending.
Earlier in the day, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi granted bail to Khan in cases linked to 9 May violence – marking a rare legal reprieve for the opposition party amid a highly charged political climate.
Despite the bail order, however, Khan remains in custody owing to a separate 14-year sentence in a £190 million Al-Qadir reference, as well as ongoing detention in the Toshakhana case.
Raja reaffirmed the party’s resolve to continue what he termed a “just struggle for restoring true democracy, upholding constitutional supremacy, and ensuring judicial independence” in the country.
He rejected the 9 May allegations as baseless, asserting the court’s decision was grounded in legal merit rather than political compromise.
“When the entire 9 May account is built on falsehood and rests solely on the testimony of two police officials, what is there for us to apologise for,” he asked.
Recalling past judicial disappointments, Raja criticised earlier convictions and denied bail decisions made despite what he described as insufficient evidence.
“History has promised us that justice will prevail,” he said. “Our journey has not yet reached its destination.”
Also speaking at the press conference, Latif Khosa termed the apex court’s verdict a serious blow to the prosecution’s case and praised the judiciary for standing firm despite constitutional constraints.
“This decision confirms that justice can still prevail, despite the hurdles imposed by the controversial 26th Amendment,” he said.
He noted that the case had lost legal traction when other co-accused, including Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and Hafiz Farhat, were granted bail.
He highlighted inconsistencies in the prosecution’s stance, pointing out that Khan was not named in five of the eight cases, and that only a single witness had testified in incidents at Zaman Park and Chakri.
Calling Khan’s arrest unlawful, Khosa argued that once bail is granted in one case, similar subsequent arrests should not be permissible.
Addressing the Al-Qadir Trust case, he said that the disputed funds were deposited into the Supreme Court’s account and were originally designated for the Sindh government, but were allegedly redirected by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to unrelated projects. He urged the federal and provincial governments to resolve the matter internally.
Meanwhile, PTI leader Aamir Dogar expressed gratitude to the top court of the country for what he described as a “verdict based on justice and facts”, calling the ruling “the first drop of rain” in the party’s broader campaign for democratic revival.
He commended PTI supporters for their resilience and reiterated that the party’s mission extended beyond Khan’s release to achieving “real and lasting improvements” for the country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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