ISLAMABAD, Aug 21 (APP): A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, on Thursday granted bail to the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in connection with eight cases related to the May 9 incidents.
Speaking to media while commenting on the Supreme Court judgment, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar strongly criticized Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for portraying the recent bail granted to its founder in the May 9 cases as a political triumph.
The party was “fooling itself,” emphasizing that the PTI founder remains convicted in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, with a 14-year prison sentence still in place. He underscored that bail is a procedural relief, not an exoneration, and lamented against misrepresenting legal developments as vindication.
Tarar criticised senior PTI lawyers for presenting the bail granted to the party’s founder as a vindication, clarifying that bail is merely a procedural relief—not a declaration of innocence. He further alleged that PTI-affiliated lawyers are intentionally prolonging legal proceedings through various pretexts to obstruct accountability.
Commenting on recent bail celebrations, Tarar said the distribution of sweets was “tasteless” and symbolic of a party lacking a meaningful public agenda. “These sham celebrations cannot fool the nation,” he stated, adding that such gestures reflect PTI’s desperation to remain relevant despite waning public support.
“Even individuals accused of serious crimes such as murder and robbery are often granted bail on technical grounds,” Tarar stated, adding that the true measure lies in the final adjudication of the charges. He further remarked that PTI appears to confuse bail with exoneration, ignoring the fundamental legal distinction between the two.
The minister also took aim at PTI leaders for invoking religious narratives, calling it a deliberate attempt to distract from the legal facts of the Al-Qadir Trust case. He asserted that the PTI founder failed to provide any credible explanation for transferring billions of rupees to Malik Riaz of Bahria Town, nor did he justify the receipt of valuable land in return.
Tarar dismissed claims that the conviction was politically motivated or linked to the PTI founder’s vision of establishing a “Riyasat-e-Madina,” stating that the court’s decision was based solely on evidence and legal merit. He described the Al-Qadir Trust case as one of the most significant corruption scandals in Pakistan’s history and accused the PTI founder of creating a sham trust to mask illicit dealings.
Tarar stated that the PTI founder had failed to provide any credible explanation for transferring billions of rupees to Malik Riaz of Bahria Town, nor did he clarify the rationale behind the transaction.
He accused the PTI founder of creating a sham trust under the name of Al-Qadir Trust, and challenged him to explain why he received valuable land in return—an answer that, according to Tarar, remains elusive.
Tarar described the events of May 9 as a matter of national concern, alleging that the violence was not spontaneous but the result of deliberate planning by the PTI founder.
Tarar accused the PTI founder of masterminding the May 9 unrest, alleging that planning sessions were held via Zoom with multiple participants. He claimed that internal dissent, including warnings from senior PTI leader Shafqat Mahmood, was ignored.
The minister stated that the attacks on Radio Pakistan Peshawar and the desecration of martyrs’ monuments were deliberate and part of a broader plan to destabilize the country. “This was not spontaneous—it was orchestrated,” he said, adding that irrefutable evidence has been made public.
He dismissed PTI’s narrative as deceptive, asserting that the nation has rejected their version of events and stands united against attempts to undermine national institutions.