- Yesterday an ATC sentenced four PTI leaders – Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmoodur Rashid, and Ejaz Ch to 10 years in prison in another May 9 riots case
- Court acquitted party’s vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi
LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Saturday handed down 10 years imprisonment each to PTI leaders—Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed—in two more May 9 cases.
The fresh court ruling comes a day after a Lahore ATC sentenced the four PTI leaders, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmoodur Rashid, and Ejaz Chaudhry to 10 years in prison in another case related to the May 9 riots while acquitted partys’ vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Confirming the court ruling, counsel for the PTI leaders, Rana Mudassar said the cases are related to the burning of police vehicles in Lahore’s Gulberg and a container near Kalma Chowk during the nationwide riots on May 9, 2023 following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.
On that fateful day, nationwide protests erupted following arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises, which turned violent. Various military installations and government properties were vandalised and torched, including Lahore Corps Commander House, known as Jinnah House, an airbase in Mianwali and others. Subsequently, the state launched a vigorous crackdown on Imran and his party, booking the party founder and its leadership in multiple cases.
ATC-III Judge Arshad Javed presided over the hearings for both cases today in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail. A total of 22 accused were sentenced to 10 years in prison, while five were acquitted in the Kalma Chowk case. In the Gulberg case, the judge handed down sentences to five, including the PTI leaders, while acquitting 22 others.
The judge noted that former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had not yet been indicted in either case and his trial would proceed separately once a supplementary challan was submitted by the prosecution.
According to the prosecution, a total of 78 witnesses were presented in both cases. In the Gulberg case, a challan was filed against 33 individuals, while four others were declared proclaimed offenders during the trial.
In the Kalma Chowk case, the prosecution filed a challan against 36 people, while 12 others, including Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed, Zubair Niazi, and Mian Aslam Iqbal, were declared absconders.
The prosecutor argued that PTI leaders had instigated party workers to revolt and create public disorder.
Talking to the media later, PTI’s counsel said the cases were scheduled for routine proceedings, but “sentences have been handed down once again in the darkness of night”.
He added that the defence was not given the chance to fully present its case.
“The morale of the prisoners in Kot Lakhpat Jail is high. So far, the leaders have been sentenced to a total of more than 200 years,” the counsel said, adding that the sentences would be challenged in the high court.
With these verdicts, decisions have now been announced in seven of the 14 cases related to the May 9 riots registered in Lahore. Verdicts had previously been announced in trials concerning an attack on Shadman Police Station, violence at Sherpao Bridge, the burning of police vehicles near Rahat Bakery, the torching of a Supreme Court judge’s squad vehicle near Jinnah House, and an attack on the entrance gate of the GOR-I Club Chowk.
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