Killing of Ali Bilal

Ali Bilal, popularly known as Zilleh Shah, was a political worker for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and a resident of Jahangir Town. He died on 8 March 2023 at Services Hospital in Lahore, shortly after being released from police custody. According to a post-mortem report, the cause of death was excessive bleeding resulting from severe torture, with injuries to his genitals and skull that were likely sustained while he was in custody.

Bilal had been present with other PTI workers outside Imran Khan's residence in Zaman Park, where police took him into custody under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, invoked under the order of the Pakistan Democratic Movement to curb political protests. PTI figures, including then-party member Fawad Chaudhary, described Bilal as a longtime supporter of Imran Khan who had been involved in fundraising for Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital since 1992.

Imran Khan alleged that Bilal died in police custody and shared videos said to show Bilal alive in a police van before his death. Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar denied allegations of torture, saying the death resulted from a road accident and that post-mortem findings had been misinterpreted. Police said CCTV footage showed two individuals in a black Vigo dropping Bilal's body at Services Hospital, and identified the vehicle's owner and occupants. Two men, named by police as Umar and Jahanzeb, were arrested in connection with bringing Bilal to the hospital. Hospital officials stated Bilal had already died from his injuries before arriving at the emergency department.

Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said Bilal died in a car accident, and that PTI Punjab leader Raja Shakeel, the owner of the vehicle used to bring Bilal to hospital, had informed Yasmeen Rashid that a man had been hit by a car. A complaint filed by Inspector Adnan Bukhari at Sarwar Road Police Station led to a case against several PTI leaders, including Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry, Farukh Habib, Yasmeen Rashid, and Raja Shakeel. Jahanzeb Nawaz, identified as the alleged driver, reportedly told police he struck Bilal near Fortress Stadium and later took him to hospital.

A leaked audio recording purportedly featuring PML-N's Maryam Nawaz raised questions about whether the accident narrative had been constructed to explain the death of a PTI worker. PTI filed a petition with the Lahore High Court challenging a joint investigation team (JIT) formed to examine the case, arguing the proceedings were baseless. An anti-terrorism court in Lahore granted police physical remand of five people accused in connection with Bilal's death for 14 days, after suspects reportedly admitted under Section 164 of the CrPC to hitting Bilal with their vehicle.

Bilal's father, Liaquat Ali, said he waited two and a half hours to meet Imran Khan while his son's body remained at the hospital, and expressed concern that PTI's framing of events could amount to political point-scoring; PTI denied such claims.