- Justice Afghan emphasizes that bail cannot be used as a tool of punishment
- Three-member bench announces verdict, directing petitioners to submit surety amount with trial court
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday granted the bail pleas of PTI’s Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and Farhat Abbas in the May 9 cases against surety bonds worth Rs100,000.
The three-member SC bench headed by Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and comprising Justice Hashim Kakar and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, directed them to submit surety amount in the trial court.
During the proceedings, the special prosecutor representing the Punjab government alleged that Ejaz Chaudhry had involved in incitement and conspiracy linked to the May 9 unrest.
In response, Justice Naeem Afghan remarked, “If the case against Ejaz Chaudhry was really that strong, then why wasn’t it sent to the military court like the 600 others already referred?” He further emphasized that bail cannot be used as a tool of punishment.”
Ejaz Chaudhry’s lawyer informed the court that his client has been in custody since May 11, 2023, making it over 11 months of incarceration.
The court subsequently granted bail to Senator Ejaz, ordering the submission of Rs100,000 surety bonds in the trial court.
In a separate hearing on Farhat Abbas’s bail plea, the special prosecutor told the court that Abbas was also accused of being involved in the May 9 conspiracy and had been declared an absconder by the trial court. Justice Afghan responded that whether or not Abbas was an absconder was a matter for the relevant court to decide. He added that since the investigation had been completed and the charge sheet submitted, there was no longer a justification for arrest.
The prosecutor assured the court that the trial could be completed within four months, to which Justice Afghan remarked, “Then complete the trial in four months.”
The bench later approved bail for Farhat Abbas as well.
On March 7, 2025, Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani had issued production orders for Ejaz Chaudhry, asking authorities to ensure his attendance in the next Senate session. This was not the first time such orders were issued. In January, similar instructions were given for Chaudhry, who has been detained at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail for more than 19 months. Despite the production orders, Chaudhry did not appear in the Senate session. In protest, opposition lawmakers held up placards featuring his image during the proceedings.
