LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Thursday sent Shershah, the nephew of PTI founder Imran Khan and son of Aleema Khan, to jail on a 14-day judicial remand in connection with the May 9 riots case.
Shershah was produced before the court after the expiry of his five-day physical remand. Police, during the hearing, sought an extension of 30 days, claiming video evidence showed him alongside Hassan Niazi another nephew of the former prime minister during the violent protests.
The riots on May 9, 2023, erupted nationwide following Imran Khan’s arrest in a corruption case. The unrest quickly spiraled into attacks on military and government installations, with the assault on Jinnah House in Lahore emerging as one of the most high-profile incidents of that day.
During Thursday’s proceedings, the defence counsel Salman Akram Raja rejected the police’s argument, stating that appearing in a video with Niazi could not be equated with committing a crime. “Mere presence in footage cannot prove involvement in arson or vandalism,” he argued.
Judge Manzar Ali Gill, after hearing both sides, declined the police request for further physical custody and instead ordered Shershah’s 14-day judicial remand, sending him to jail.
Shershah was taken into custody on August 22, a day after the arrest of his cousin Shahrez Khan, who is also facing trial in the Jinnah House case. Both men stand accused of running an anti-state campaign and being directly involved in the violence.
Investigators allege Shershah actively participated in the attack on Jinnah House, with charges of arson, vandalism, torching a police van, and using digital platforms to spread anti-state content. Sources claim he fled abroad shortly after the May 9 violence, living in London for nearly two years before resurfacing.
The court’s ruling marks another turn in the ongoing trials related to the May 9 riots, which remain a sensitive chapter in Pakistan’s political crisis.
