An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two additional cases linked to the May 9 riots, while sentencing Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid to 10 years in prison.
The May 9, 2023 protests by PTI supporters, triggered by the arrest of party founder Imran Khan, escalated into violent clashes across the country, resulting in thousands of arrests.
The Lahore ATC reserved its verdict after conducting proceedings inside Kot Lakhpat jail for two cases: the attack on Shadman police station and the torching of police vehicles near Jinnah House. Judge Manzer Ali Gill announced the court’s decision today.
Alongside the four convicted leaders, PTI members Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed were sentenced to five years imprisonment in the Shadman police station case.
In the Shadman case, the court indicted 25 out of 41 accused, with 45 prosecution witnesses examined. At least 15 accused are still declared proclaimed offenders. The police vehicles torching case involved 17 indicted individuals and 65 prosecution witnesses, with seven absconders declared.
Last month, the same court acquitted Qureshi in a separate May 9 case related to violence on Sherpao Bridge but sentenced the same group of leaders to 10 years in prison.
