Court Grants 20-Day Physical Remand for PTI Leader Hammad Azhar

Lahore High Court Petition and Family Action

Ishrat Azhar, the mother of the detained PTI leader, filed a habeas corpus petition in the Lahore High Court through counsel Barrister Abuzar Salman Niazi, as reported by Dawn. The petition named the Punjab Inspector General of Police and the Lahore Capital City Police Officer as respondents, demanding that authorities formally disclose Azhar’s arrest and produce him before a judicial officer. According to the petition cited by Dawn, family members stated that Azhar had been taken into custody from Multan two days prior to the court filing without formal charges or communication. Hours after the high court petition was lodged, a Lahore police spokesperson confirmed that the former federal minister was formally in custody, according to Dawn. Police stated that Azhar had been absconding for three years and was wanted in connection with multiple cases, including an alleged attack on the Government Officers’ Residences gate during the May 9, 2023 unrest.

Legal Status and May 9 Riot Charges

Law enforcement officials confirmed that Azhar faced at least 18 separate cases registered in Lahore, according to Dawn. Police sources stated that the former minister was declared a proclaimed offender following nationwide violence that erupted on May 9, 2023. The May 9 riots broke out after PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan was taken into custody from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in a graft case, as noted by Dawn. Thousands of party supporters subsequently demonstrated, storming public property and military installations across the country, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore. Following the crackdown on party leadership, Azhar went into hiding to avoid arrest. In August 2024, he resigned from his position as the president of PTI’s Punjab chapter, citing severe restrictions on his movements and a lack of access to the jailed former prime minister, according to reports from Dawn.

Physical Remand Granted by Anti-Terrorism Court

Following his formal arrest, police presented Azhar before the Lahore anti-terrorism court to secure his custody for ongoing investigations, according to Dawn. The court granted a 20-day physical remand. A Lahore police spokesperson stated that investigation teams would complete their inquiries and present a formal charge sheet before the anti-terrorism court once the remand period concludes, as reported by Dawn. Meanwhile, the PTI has condemned the arrest as political victimization, demanding that authorities fully protect Azhar’s constitutional and legal rights, according to Dawn.