Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz among other PTI leaders sentenced in Sanaullah house attack case

• May 9 case was registered at Samanabad Police Station.
• 59 accused handed 10-year sentence by Faisalabad ATC.
• Court also exonerates 34 out of total 109 accused in case.

FAISALABAD: In another blow to the Imran Khan-founded party, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Monday sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, and others to 10 years in prison for their involvement in the attack on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart Rana Sanaullah’s residence during the May 9, 2023 riots.

The court, while announcing its verdict in a case registered at the Samanabad Police Station, sentenced a total of 75 people out of the total 109 accused and acquitted 34 others.

Out of those sentenced, 59 were given 10-year imprisonment including Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, Farah Afgha, Kanwal Shauzab, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Ahmad Chattha, Ansar Iqbal, Bilal Ijaz, Ashraf Sohna, Mehr Javed, Shakeel Niazi and others.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Rashid Javed and other PTI workers were given a three-year prison sentence.

The development adds to the mounting legal woes faced by the Imran Khan-founded PTI, which has seen scores of leaders getting prison sentences over the May 9 riots while several others, including the former prime minister, remain behind bars in a plethora of cases.

Earlier this month, an ATC in Lahore sentenced PTI's Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and several others to 10 years in prison.

Also, the court, in the Jinnah House case, 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 in prison.

However, the ATC exonerated Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sohail Khan, Muhammad Owais, Rafiuddin, Farid Khan, Salman Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, Faizan, Tayyab Sultan, Shahid Baig and Majid Ali.

Last week, PTI founder's nephews Shershah and Shahrez — sons of Aleema Khan — were arrested over their alleged involvement in the May 9 riots.

May 9 riots

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 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.