An anti-terrorism court granted bail to Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 12 different cases related to the May 9 riots.
The decision was made by Judge Malik Ijaz Asif on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, the court also granted bail and ordered the release of Awami Mulsim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in the same case.
PTI lawyer Shiraz Ahmed Ranjha represented Khan and Qureshi in court, and the judge rejected the prosecution’s request to postpone the hearing to another day.
The decision was made after a hearing on February 6, following the court’s summons to Khan, Qureshi, and AML chief during a hearing on February 3.
Qureshi was initially arrested on December 27 in a General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case but was later booked in 12 other cases related to the violent May 9 protests. Khan was arrested in the GHQ attack case on January 9.
The May 9 riots erupted nationwide after the arrest of the deposed prime minister in the £190 million settlement case. Many PTI workers and leaders were jailed for their involvement in violence and attacks on military installations.
During the protests, civil and military installations, including Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, were targeted. The military declared May 9 as a “Black Day” and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.
The approval of bail for both politicians comes two days after the country held its 10th general elections on February 8.