Islamabad, April 8, 2025: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday instructed trial courts to conclude all cases pertaining to the May 9, 2023, incidents within four months, underscoring the judiciary’s intent to fast-track politically sensitive proceedings.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, issued the directive while hearing bail cancellation appeals linked to the violence and unrest that occurred in the aftermath of the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
The order is part of the apex court’s broader push to ensure timely justice and reduce delays in high-profile cases. The court emphasized that anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) are fully equipped to deliver verdicts efficiently if proceedings are prioritized.
During the hearing, a defense counsel raised concerns over the feasibility of the timeline, noting that his client faced 35 separate cases stemming from the May 9 events.
Chief Justice Afridi dismissed the concerns by referencing the Mashal Khan lynching case, which he said had been concluded within three months during his tenure as Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court.
“We have precedent for swift adjudication in complex and sensitive cases. The same efficiency is expected here,” Justice Afridi remarked.
The Supreme Court’s latest instructions follow similar directions issued a day earlier in separate bail-related appeals filed by the Punjab government, in which the court urged trial courts to conclude proceedings within three months.
The May 9 cases—widely seen as pivotal in shaping the post-2023 political landscape—have remained a source of tension between state institutions and the PTI, whose members and supporters were widely implicated in the unrest.
Separately, the Supreme Court has formed a five-member Constitutional Bench led by Justice Aminuddin Khan to hear petitions filed by Imran Khan and others. The petitions seek a judicial inquiry into the events of May 9, 2023 and an investigation into alleged rigging in the 2024 general elections.
The petition concerning the May 9 incidents was filed in December 2024, while the plea regarding election rigging was filed earlier in February 2024 by Imran and fellow PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat.
