LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Saturday sentenced several senior leaders of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to 10 years in prison in a case linked to the May 9, 2023 riots.
Judge Manzar Ali Gill of the Anti-Terrorism Court announced the verdict at a special court set up inside Kot Lakhpat Jail. The case involved the burning of police vehicles in Lahore’s Mughalpura area during nationwide protests that erupted after Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
The court convicted and sentenced PTI leaders Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed, and Ejaz Chaudhry to 10 years in prison each.
However, the court acquitted PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, ruling that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against him.
Prosecutors had filed charges against 22 suspects, including Rashid. During the trial, the prosecution presented 37 witnesses, all of whom were cross-examined by the defense.
The court declared two accused, Arbaz Zaman and Ilahi Bakhsh, as proclaimed offenders after they failed to appear before the court. The verdict covered 15 defendants.
Violent protests broke out across Pakistan on May 9, 2023, after authorities arrested PTI founder Imran Khan in a corruption case. Protesters attacked military installations, government buildings, and public property in several cities.
Law enforcement agencies later launched a nationwide crackdown and arrested hundreds of PTI leaders and supporters. Courts have already convicted some defendants, while trials continue for others.
Pakistan’s political and military leadership previously decided that suspects accused of attacking military installations would face military trials, while other defendants would be prosecuted in civilian courts.
