In cases relating to the violent episodes of May 9, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday extended the temporary bail of PTI leader Asad Umar, party chairman Imran Khan’s two sisters, and other defendants until October 4.

Due to the widespread rioting and attacks on significant military installations that followed Imran’s detention in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9, the state initiated a harsh crackdown against his party.

Imran Khan was freed a few days later (though he has since been detained again in a different case), but dozens of PTI employees and nearly the whole top-tier leadership were imprisoned instead, and many of them are still dealing with significant legal issues.

Last month, a Lahore ATC allowed the police to interrogate several PTI leaders and activists afresh in different cases of May 9 riots following the addition of new offences of mutiny and waging a war against the state in the FIRs.

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On September 2, a Lahore ATC had extended the pre-arrest bail of Umar and Imran’s sisters Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan till today (September 19) in multiple cases relating to the May 9 riots.

The sisters’ bail had been extended with directives to join the investigation. While the investigation officer had informed the court that Umar had been discharged in five out of seven cases against him, his bail in the remaining two cases had been extended till today as well.

Today, ATC Judge Abhar Gul presided over the hearing while the former PTI secretary general and other suspects appeared before the court and marked their attendance.

The court sought the complete record of the investigation from the police.

When Aleema came to the rostrum, she said she “did not go to Jinnah House” — one of the military places that were vandalised on May 9 — and yet she was nominated in the case.

“We have come to the court for justice. We demand justice.”