By Urdu Report Editorial Team
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has approved a 20-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hamad Azhar in the Jinnah House attack case linked to the May 9 riots.
The court granted the remand to allow police to conduct further investigation and recover Hamad Azhar’s mobile phone.
Hamad Azhar was arrested in Multan on Sunday and later handed over to Lahore Police for further legal proceedings. He had been wanted in several cases related to the May 9, 2023 protests. He had also been declared a proclaimed offender in the case concerning the attack on the Government Officers Residence (GOR) gate.
Hearing Held Under Tight Security
The case was heard at the Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court on Monday, September 7, 2026, under tight security.
ATC Judge Sardar Muhammad Akram Khan heard arguments from the prosecution regarding Hamad Azhar’s physical remand. The judge then reserved the decision and announced it later.
The prosecution requested physical remand, arguing that police custody was required for further investigation and to recover Hamad Azhar’s mobile phone.
Hamad Azhar’s lawyer opposed the request. The lawyer argued that his client had been implicated in a fabricated case and should not be handed over to police custody.
Before the hearing began, the court ordered media representatives and other unrelated individuals to leave the courtroom. Only lawyers and investigating officers were allowed to remain during the proceedings. The judge said journalists would be called back once the proceedings formally began.
Hamad Azhar’s Mother Had Approached Lahore High Court
Before his court appearance, Hamad Azhar’s mother, Ishrat Azhar, had approached the Lahore High Court seeking her son’s recovery and production before a court.
The petition stated that Hamad Azhar had been taken into custody from Multan two days earlier but had not yet been presented before any court.
The petition was filed through Barrister Abuzar Salman Khan Niazi under Article 199 of the Constitution. The Inspector General of Police Punjab, Capital City Police Officer Lahore, DIG Operations Lahore and others were named as respondents.
Hamad Azhar Named in Multiple May 9 Cases
The cases against Hamad Azhar relate to the events of May 9, 2023, following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court in a corruption case.
The arrest triggered widespread protests across Pakistan. During the unrest, protesters attacked and set fire to government buildings and military installations.
Hamad Azhar was subsequently nominated in several cases linked to those events. According to police sources, he was declared a proclaimed offender in one case after failing to appear before the court. Permanent arrest warrants were later issued against him.
Hamad Azhar was wanted in the case concerning the attack on the GOR gate in Lahore. Police also said he was an accused in more than 50 cases related to the May 9 events.
The Anti-Terrorism Court had earlier declared him a proclaimed offender because of his continued absence from proceedings. He later approached the Lahore and Peshawar High Courts seeking protective bail.
After the cases were registered, Hamad Azhar resigned from his party position. The PTI had previously assigned him responsibility for party leadership in Punjab.
