The PTI chairman might be punished the same as May 9 arsonists for his alleged role in inciting the workers to protest following his arrest, warned Pakistan Bar Council Chairman Hassan Raza Pasha on Thursday.

“Section 109 of PPC related to abetment is applicable and the evidence they might have collected. He [PTI chief] did not have control over their language and this overconfidence cost them,” he said while responding to a query on possible cases against the former prime minister registered in the wake of May 9 events.

He was on Asma Shirazi’s show Faisla Aap Ka. He was joined by journalists Murtaza Solangi and Athar Kazmi.

The question was asked against the backdrop of Thursday’s development when the ex-PM was named in three cases pertaining to attacking army installations on May 9. On the same day, the Supreme Court fixed Imran Khan’s appeal to stop a retrial of the Toshakhana case for a hearing a few hours after it was filed.

“When there are more than two suspects Section 34 is applied, more than that then 148, 149 and the same punishment can be applied with the main offence,” he said and agreed that those who barged into the GHQ after breaking the lock, did act of vandalism, so the offence applicable to will be applied to him as well. Those who instigated them [people].“

But Pasha stressed the need for strong evidence and took Solangi’s comments in which he claimed that there were records which showed that the May 9 events were planned. “If this evidence is there and connected then it is sufficient to prove.”

When asked if Qanun-e-Shahadat contradicted this, he replied in the affirmative. But added that the current period was scientific where forensic tests could be conducted whose credibility right now “was above board”.

Pasha added that the court values such a piece of evidence.

While speaking about the PTI chief, Solangi spoke about his speeches and relationship with the establishment in the past. He mentioned the audio and video links which showed the narrative of the former ruling party.

Solangi mentioned this as he commented on the May 9 attacks, which he described as a “suicide bomb”.

Kazmi said that the PTI chief made many mistakes and how the former ruling party was crying foul over Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani’s actions – a person whom they brought for the seat while in power.

But he stressed the need for learning to not repeat the same mistake.