LAHORE; The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday took up the bail petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, who is facing charges in connection with four separate cases related to the violent protests of May 9, 2023.
A two-member bench, headed by Justice Shahbaz Rizvi, heard the petitions and directed authorities to submit detailed records of the cases registered against Chaudhry. The court also accepted the state counsel’s request to summon the relevant case documents concerning the bail status of co-accused individuals. Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned indefinitely.
During the proceedings, Deputy Prosecutor General (DPG) informed the court that 16 main accused have been named in the cases. He added that some are currently on interim bail, while others have been declared proclaimed offenders.
He further revealed that the challan (final investigation report) has been submitted to the trial court, and statements from prosecution witnesses have been recorded, with cross-examination already underway in some instances.
The DPG also noted that bail applications of Ejaz Chaudhry, Shafqat Mehmood, and Omar Sarfraz Cheema had previously been dismissed by relevant courts. However, the bail plea of PTI founder Imran Khan was granted in a related case.
Defense counsel Mian Ashfaq argued that the cases against Ejaz Chaudhry are politically motivated. He urged the court to grant bail, citing a lack of direct evidence implicating his client in acts of violence or incitement.
Ejaz Chaudhry, a senior PTI leader and senator, has approached the LHC for relief in four different cases arising from the nationwide unrest that erupted after the arrest of Imran Khan in May 2023.
The protests led to widespread violence, including attacks on military installations and public property, resulting in a government crackdown on PTI members and supporters. Many party leaders were arrested, while others went into hiding or distanced themselves from the party. The legal proceedings remain a critical front in the ongoing political and judicial turmoil faced by PTI leadership.
