ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad has sentenced five individuals, including prominent online commentators, to multiple life terms for what it described as digital terrorism against state institutions during the violent events of May 9.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra announced the reserved verdict, sentencing Adil Raja, Haider Mehdi, Moeed Pirzada, Wajahat Saeed, and Sabir Shakir to two life imprisonments each.
The court also awarded an additional cumulative sentence of 35 years under various provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act and imposed fines totalling Rs1.5 million.
The trial was conducted in absentia on the prosecution’s request, as permitted under anti-terrorism laws. During the proceedings, the prosecution presented 24 witnesses, after which the court reserved its decision and later pronounced the verdict.
According to the court’s ruling, Sabir Shakir, Moeed Pirzada and Syed Akbar Hussain were convicted in a case registered at Aabpara police station, while Shaheen Sehbai, Haider Mehdi and Wajahat Saeed were convicted in a separate case registered at Ramna police station.
Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kiani represented the state, while Advocate Gulfam Ashraf Goraya appeared on behalf of the accused after being appointed by the court.
The verdict comes amid a series of convictions related to the May 9 riots, during which violent protests targeted state installations across the country.
In a similar case related to the May 9 riots, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore in August 2025 sentenced senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ijaz Chaudhry, Mehmoodur Rashid and Omar Sarfraz Cheema, to 10 years in prison, while acquitting former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
That verdict, announced by ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul at Kot Lakhpat Jail, also saw PTI leaders Aaliya Hamza and Sanam Javed sentenced to five years each. Several other accused were convicted or acquitted in separate arson and vandalism cases linked to the unrest.
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