LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday ordered Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar to be sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand in a case linked to the May 9, 2023 riots.
Azhar was brought before the court after the completion of his latest physical remand, taking the total period of his physical custody to 50 days.
The court had most recently extended his physical remand by 12 days on October 15.
According to police sources, Azhar was handed over to Lahore police after being arrested in Multan. The sources said the PTI leader, who had been declared a proclaimed offender, was wanted in several cases registered over the May 9 violence.
Azhar served as a federal minister during the PTI government and previously headed the party’s Punjab chapter. He resigned as the provincial president in August 2024, citing limited access to jailed PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, as well as restrictions on his own movements.
He had remained in hiding after being nominated in multiple cases related to the May 9 riots.
The violence broke out on May 9, 2023, following Imran Khan’s arrest from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in a graft case.
During the unrest, PTI supporters stormed public buildings and military installations, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore, triggering widespread damage and a series of legal cases against party leaders and workers.
