Qureshi acquitted, Yasmin, other PTI leaders get 10 years in May 9 cases

• Verdict announced at Kot Lakhpat Jail courtroom.
• Over 20 suspects tried in police station case.
• Several suspects declared absconders during proceedings.

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore has acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two May 9 cases, while sentencing Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and several others to 10 years in prison.

ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gill, who conducted the hearings at a makeshift court in Kot Lakhpat Jail, announced the verdict on Monday.

The court had reserved its decision late last week after hearing arguments from both sides, saying it would be delivered on August 11.

In the Jinnah House vehicle torching case, the court sentenced Rashid, Cheema, Chaudhry, Rasheed, Ayesha Ali Bhutta, Muhammad Fahim, Niaz Ahmed, Ali Hasan, Zain Ali, Asad Ali, Bilal Wajahat, Bilal Bashir, Muhammad Qasim, and Zain ul Hassan to 10 years each.

Hafiz Muhammad Arshad was also handed the same sentence. Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed were awarded five years each.

In the same case, Qureshi, Abrar, Amjad, Faisal, Jamil, Saadia, and Tasneem were acquitted.

In the Shadman Police Station torching case, out of 25 accused, the court acquitted 12, including Qureshi, Sohail Khan, Muhammad Owais, Rafiuddin, Farid Khan, Salman Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, Faizan, Tayyab Sultan, Shahid Baig, Majid Ali, and Bakht.

The court had earlier declared several suspects absconders in both cases.

No accused who had been released on bail, including Aliya and Sanam, was present in court when the verdict was announced. One suspect died during the course of the trial.

May 9 chaos

Thousands of supporters of Imran Khan stormed public property and military installations, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore, on May 9, 2023, in protest against the former premier’s arrest.

The riots — in which lives were lost — erupted after the PTI founder was taken into custody from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case.

During the unrest, the supporters of Khan — the only prime minister in Pakistan’s history to be ousted via a no-confidence vote — targeted civil and military installations, including the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

Several PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after their arrests, while many remain behind bars. The deposed prime minister, incarcerated since August 2023, faces a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism following his removal from office.