Islamabad High Court grants further extension to Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi till January 15, 2026 in May 9 cases.
Relief covers 12 cases related to violent protests and attacks on military installations on May 9, 2023.
No new evidence presented to cancel bail; couple directed to continue cooperating with investigation.
Pakistan Court Extends Interim Bail Of Imran Khan
Islamabad High Court grants further relief to PTI founder and his wife in violent protests cases linked to May 9, 2023 military installations attacks
Summary
The Islamabad High Court on December 24, 2025, extended the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in multiple cases related to the May 9, 2023 violent protests that saw attacks on military installations across Pakistan. The extension was granted by a division bench comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Lubna Saleem Pervez during hearing of petitions seeking protective bail.
The couple had been granted interim bail earlier in November 2025 for 14 days in connection with 12 FIRs registered at various police stations in Islamabad for offences including rioting, arson, terrorism, and attacking state property during the nationwide protests that erupted after Imran Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9, 2023.
PTI counsel Barrister Salman Safdar argued that the couple had fully cooperated with investigations, appeared before investigating officers whenever summoned, and that no new evidence had emerged warranting cancellation of bail. He further contended that continued detention or refusal of extension would cause irreparable harm, especially given Bushra Bibi’s health condition.
Opposing the extension, the state counsel submitted that the accused were central figures in inciting the May 9 violence and that further investigation was required. However, after hearing both sides, the court observed that no fresh material had been placed on record to justify withdrawal of interim relief and extended the bail till January 15, 2026.
The May 9 incidents remain one of the most serious political crises in Pakistan’s recent history, with the military and government accusing PTI of orchestrating attacks on GHQ, Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander residence), and other sensitive installations. Over 100 cases were registered nationwide, and thousands of PTI workers were arrested, many of whom remain in custody.
Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, currently lodged in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi in separate unrelated cases, appeared virtually via video link for the hearing. The development provides temporary reprieve to the PTI leadership amid ongoing legal battles on multiple fronts
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