Islamabad, February 25: This coming Friday, Pakistan’s Supreme Court will address petitions submitted by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, requesting a judicial inquiry into the violent events of May 9 and allegations of discrepancies in the previous year’s general elections, as reported by media outlets on Tuesday.
A five-member constitutional bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, will oversee the hearing, according to The Express Tribune.
Khan’s petition regarding the May 9 investigation was lodged in December of the previous year.
On May 9, 2023, protests turned violent following Khan’s arrest by paramilitary forces outside the Islamabad High Court. His supporters damaged numerous military sites, including Jinnah House (the residence of Lahore Corps Commander) and an ISI facility in Faisalabad.
PTI leaders claim that the events of May 9 were orchestrated by their rivals. Khan has stated that he has been wrongfully implicated in the violence, describing it as part of a “well-planned strategy” to politically oppress him.
In March 2024, Khan submitted another petition requesting the establishment of a judicial commission to “inquire, audit, and assess” the conduct and process surrounding the general elections held on February 8, Geo News reported.
The PTI asserts it won the February 8, 2024 elections but was deprived of its mandate due to extensive rigging, a claim the government and election officials have denied.
Since August 2023, Khan has been incarcerated after facing multiple arrests and subsequent convictions. He is currently detained in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
