Police have taken into custody Shershah, the second son of Aleema Khan and nephew of PTI founder Imran Khan, over alleged involvement in the May 9 incidents.
Authorities say the arrest was made after credible evidence surfaced against him.
Shershah’s arrest linked to May 9 violence
According to SSP (Investigation) Muhammad Naveed, Shershah was arrested in connection with the violent protests that erupted on May 9 following the arrest of the PTI founder. Police maintain that he played a role in the unrest that led to attacks on public and military properties across Lahore and other parts of the country.
Legal action under way
The senior officer confirmed that the case is being pursued strictly “according to the law” and that authorities will continue to act against individuals linked to the May 9 incidents. He emphasized that evidence had been gathered against Shershah before his detention.
PTI's reaction
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar says these arrests were only adding to political tension. “Whenever we try to reduce tensions, new arrests are made. Such actions will only fuel public resentment,” he added.
Gohar stressed that “any conspiracy being hatched against the PTI and its leadership will have to be stopped". He further said, “On one hand, disqualifications are being announced and arrest warrants issued, while on the other, even family members and lawyers are being denied meetings with the PTI founder.”
This comes a day after Aleema Khan’s elder son, Shahrez Azeem, was also taken into custody by police. The arrest sparked controversy as he was named in the supplementary statement of the May 9 Jinnah House attack case.
An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Friday approved an eight-day physical remand of Shahrez Khan in the May 9 Jinnah House case.
According to police, the suspect was arrested from Zaman Park a day earlier and was presented before the court for further investigation and recovery. Police had requested physical remand for this purpose.
The defense counsel, Salman Akram Raja, opposed the remand plea, but the court accepted the police request and granted an eight-day remand.
Also Read: May 9 case: ATC grants 8-day physical remand of Aleema's son Shahrez Khan
Police said the suspect was arrested yesterday and that recovery, including his phone, was yet to be made.
During the hearing, PTI’s counsel Salman Akram Raja strongly objected to the timing of the arrest, questioning why police took 27 months to discover his alleged involvement. He argued that Shahrez Azim’s name was never mentioned in the supplementary statement, which has been read out in court over 1,500 times.
Raja said, “Just yesterday, the PTI founder was granted bail, and by the evening, his nephews were being arrested. This clearly shows mala fide intent.” He added that Shahrez Azeem is an international-level sportsman who has traveled abroad several times but was never summoned in any case.
The lawyer further stated that Shahrez was in Chitral from May 6 to May 13 and should not be implicated. “He should not only be released immediately but also discharged from the case,” Raja urged the court.
He also reminded the court that Shahrez's mother had earlier been discharged in the same case. “You yourself have ordered that if names are included after such a long delay, it amounts to mala fide,” he argued.
Police, however, requested a 30-day physical remand, which Raja termed “excessive.” The court remarked that it would review the supplementary file before making a decision.
