LAHORE: Shershah Khan, nephew of former prime minister Imran Khan, finally walked out of Kot Lakhpat Jail on Friday after securing post-arrest bail from an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore. His release comes just a day after his brother, Shahrez Khan, was also granted bail in the same high-profile case linked to the May 9, 2023 Jinnah House attack.
Shershah, son of Aleema Khan, had been picked up by police on August 22 outside his residence and remained in custody for more than two weeks. Initially remanded into physical custody, he was later shifted to judicial lockup at Kot Lakhpat. The ATC, presided over by Judge Manzer Ali Gill, ordered his release on a surety bond of Rs 100,000, directing that he be freed if not required in any other case.
During the hearing, his counsel Advocate Rana Mudassar Umer argued that there was no evidence linking Shershah to the vandalism at Jinnah House and highlighted the unexplained 28-month delay in his arrest. He also dismissed the alleged recovery of a cane from his client as a “planted story,” calling the case politically motivated.
The defense also drew parallels with similar cases where other PTI leaders, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, had been discharged due to lack of substantial evidence. Family members, meanwhile, called the detention nothing more than political victimisation.
The May 9 riots remain one of the most sensitive chapters in Pakistan’s recent political history. Following Imran Khan’s arrest last year, PTI workers clashed with law enforcement and stormed sensitive state and military installations, prompting a massive crackdown against party leaders and supporters.
With Shershah’s release, questions resurface over whether these prolonged detentions were based on legal grounds or political scoring. The development also adds to the series of bails and acquittals surfacing in cases tied to the May 9 events, fueling debate over accountability, due process, and selective justice.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.