Imran Khan's Nephew Jailed Amidst Political Turmoil in Pakistan

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore ordered the judicial remand of Shershah Khan, nephew of PTI founder Imran Khan, in connection with the Jinnah House attack during the May 2023 riots. Dawn reported that Shershah was detained by Lahore Police from his residence on August 22, following the arrest of his brother Shahrez Khan a day earlier on similar accusations. Both arrests have been accused of lacking evidence and being politically motivated.

The courtroom saw PTI heavyweights, including Advocate Rana Mudassar Umer, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, and Barrister Taimur Malik, defending Shershah. The prosecution sought an extended 30-day physical remand, but the court decided on a judicial remand. Aleema Khan, Imran Khan's sister, countered the arrest with a bail plea, citing political reasons for Shershah's arrest and a lack of concrete evidence.

The court noted Shershah's photogrammetry test results and the discovery of a wooden baton. Judge Manzer Ali Gill expressed the feasibility of recovering social media account information without needing Shershah's detention. Prosecutor Imtiaz Ahmad Sipra reported a baton recovery, while further evidence such as Shershah's mobile phone and social media accounts remained uncollected. Amnesty International and the Human Rights Commission raised concerns about the arrests, calling them a "political witch-hunt."