The court pronounced the reserved judgment, acquitting PTI leaders including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Shehryar Khan Afridi in the cases.

Judicial Magistrate Malik Muhammad Imran pronounced the reserved verdict. PTI leaders were booked in 2022 for vandalism and violation of Section 144.

On April 4, the court reserved the judgement on the acquittal of former prime minister and PTI ex-chairman Imran Khan, former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid, and others in the Azadi March vandalism cases.

Judicial Magistrate Malik Imran heard the plea seeking the acquittal of Imran Khan and others in the cases.

Also read: Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi acquitted in two vandalism cases

Co-accused including former federal Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Sadaqat Abbasi appeared before the court.

PTI’s lawyers including Sardar Masroof Advocate, Amina Ali, Rizwan Akhtar Awan, and Mirza Asim Advocate also appeared in the court and pleaded for acquittal of the accused in the cases.

PTI lawyer Sardar Masroof Advocate told the court that “an acquittal plea was filed in February last year. We want to give arguments on the acquittal petition.”

At this, Judge Malik Imran said that the challans of Sadaqat Abbasi, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Sheikh Rasheed had reached the court.

Sardar Masroof Advocate further told the court that “this FIR has been registered under Section 144. [But] there is no evidence in this case. There is no CCTV footage. The case was not registered from the person concerned.”

After hearing the arguments of the parties, the court reserved the judgement on the acquittal of Imran Khan and other accused in the cases. The reserved verdict will be pronounced on June 6.