Jinnah House attack case: Pak’s EX PM Imran Khan’s nephew Shershah sent on judicial remand

August 29, 2025

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Thursday sent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s nephew, Shershah Khan, to jail on judicial remand in connection with the Jinnah House attack in the May 2023 riots, Dawn reported.

Shershah, son of Imran’s sister Aleema Khan, was arrested by Lahore Police from outside his home on August 22. His brother Shahrez Khan was taken into custody a day earlier and handed over to the police for eight days on similar allegations. Upon completion of his five-day physical remand, Shershah was presented before ATC Judge Manzer Ali Gill amid tight security, Dawn stated.

Advocate Rana Mudassar Umer, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, and Barrister Taimur Malik represented Shershah, while state prosecutor Imtiaz Ahmad Sipra appeared on behalf of the prosecution. Aleema Khan and her sisters, Uzma Khan and Noreen, were also present in court. The prosecution sought a 30-day physical remand, while the defence requested that Shershah be discharged from the case. Judge Gill, however, rejected the plea and sent him on judicial remand.

According to Dawn, Aleema also filed a bail plea on Shershah’s behalf through Advocate Umer. “The suspect has been arrested on political motives,” the plea said, adding that there was no evidence against him and requesting his release on bail.

The court order noted that Shershah’s photogrammetry test had been conducted, and a “wooden danda (baton)” was recovered from his possession. Judge Gill observed, “So far as investigation into the extent of social media accounts is concerned, in the present era of technology as well as digital devices, social media accounts of each and every person could be easily traced and recovered without the support of the accused.” He added, “This court is of the further view that there is no sufficient ground available for further physical remand.”

At the hearing’s outset, prosecutor Sipra informed the court that a baton had been recovered from Shershah, but added his “mobile, tear gas mask and social media accounts were yet to be recovered.” Advocate Umer countered that his client was “falsely accused” and that “his arrest in the case was illegal.”

Dawn reported that Umer also told the court Shershah had not been served any notice for 27 months. Barrister Malik later wrote on X that they had submitted a copy of a similar case where PTI leader Dr Yasmin Rashid was discharged, noting, “On similar facts, Dr Yasmin Rashid was discharged from this case.”