Lahore: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to undergo polygraph and photogrammetric tests as part of investigations into 12 cases linked to the May 9, 2023, riots, following a ruling by Anti-Terrorism Court-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill. The court granted the prosecution’s request despite strong objections from Khan’s defence team.

Khan, currently held at Adiala Jail, will be subjected to lie detection and facial and voice recognition tests, which the prosecution insists are essential for investigative clarity. The court also granted permission for voice match analysis, setting a 12-day deadline to complete the procedures.

Barrister Salman Safdar, representing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, contested the application, highlighting the 727-day delay since the events and citing that bail had already been granted in 21 related cases. He also referenced the Lahore High Court’s earlier validation of Khan’s statements, arguing that further testing was redundant.

However, Special Prosecutor Rana Aazar maintained that Khan’s refusal to undergo tests in the absence of his lawyer necessitated court-ordered action, and pointed to the Supreme Court’s support for such investigative tools.

The cases involve key incidents of violence, including attacks on Jinnah House, Askari Tower, the Shadman police station, and multiple Pakistan Muslim League (N) offices — all reportedly targeted by PTI supporters during the unrest.

Prominent PTI leaders including former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and ex-Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema are also on trial in connection with the same incidents, as legal scrutiny around the May 9 violence intensifies.