LAHORE: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore sentenced several senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed and Ejaz Chaudhry, to 10 years’ imprisonment each in a case related to the burning of a container at Kalma Chowk.
In this regard, the verdict was announced by ATC Judge Arshad Javed inside Kot Lakhpat Jail, citing security concerns. The court also ordered the arrest and production of 12 proclaimed offenders, including former provincial minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, to face trial in the same case.
Furthermore, the accused were convicted after the completion of the trial involving 24 defendants. The prosecution examined 37 witnesses, while the Nasirabad police had submitted challans against 36 accused individuals. The court noted that during the proceedings, several suspects were declared proclaimed offenders due to their failure to appear before the court.
Those declared proclaimed offenders include Murad Saeed, Zubair Niazi, Ali Hassan Nawaz, Shabbir Hussain, Aziz-ur-Rehman, Zarif Khan, Sayyad Khan, Muhammad Javed, Abdul Samad, Hammad Azhar and Wasiq Qayyum.
The court directed law enforcement agencies to arrest them and present them before the court.
Moreover, the verdict further stated that former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has not yet been formally indicted in this case, as his challan has not been submitted. The court clarified that once a supplementary challan is filed, Qureshi’s trial will be conducted in a subsequent phase.
In this sense, the case pertains to incidents of arson and violence at Kalma Chowk, with the accused charged with sedition and inciting the public to unrest. The court held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
So far, Dr Yasmin Rashid’s counsel, Rana Mudassar Umar, expressed strong reservations about the court proceedings. He said the cases were scheduled for routine hearings, but the defence was not given a full opportunity to present its arguments. He alleged that the sentences were announced abruptly and under circumstances that undermined due process.
The lawyer added that PTI leaders and workers currently imprisoned remain resolute despite the verdicts. He claimed that party leaders have collectively been handed sentences exceeding 200 years in various cases so far. He confirmed that the latest convictions would be challenged in higher courts.
The verdict indicates another vital development in a series of legal cases involving PTI leaders following violent protests, and is expected to have further political and legal repercussions in the coming days.
