PTI's Sanam Javaid arrested in new May 9 arson case

Soon after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore approved the bail plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Sanam Javaid Khan on Monday in a case pertaining to arson on a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) office, she was arrested by the investigation police in a different case.

According to the police, the case against Sanam was registered in the Shadman Police Station of Lahore on charges of arson during the May 9 riots, which were triggered last year following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a graft case.

The PTI politician, who was earlier popular as a social media activist of the party, will now be transferred to the Shadman police station.

Earlier today, the court announced its reserved verdict after the completion of arguments by counsels following a bail plea filed by Sanam against the case registered by the Model Town police for burning the Shehbaz Sharif-led party's office.

PTI's incarcerated candidate announced to compete in the upcoming February 8 polls against PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz and former National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq from Lahore. On December 19, she submitted her nomination papers to contest polls for a provincial assembly seat, PP-150. She also announced to contest polls on two National Assembly seats, NA-120 and NA-119.

She will be up against Maryam for NA-119 and PP-150, and against Sadiq for NA-120.

However, her papers were rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) — a decision she challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) Appellate Tribunal against the returning officer (RO). But the tribunal upheld the RO's decision to reject Sanam’s nomination papers for all the seats.

The PTI politician then filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, which was approved allowing Sanam including other PTI leaders such as Parvez Elahi and Shuakat Basra to also contest polls.

Following the SC verdict, announced last Friday, she has been allowed to contest polls from NA-119, NA-120, and PP-150.

Sanam is among dozens of PTI workers and leaders who are in custody for over eight months in connection with the May 9 riots that broke out following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a graft case.

She was booked in multiple cases including an attack on the Corps Commander House in Lahore and torching of police vehicles in the Cantonment area during the violent protests last year.