May 9 riots: Court acquits Shah Mahmood Qureshi, sentences multiple PTI leaders including Yasmin Rashid

An anti terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while sentencing several PTI leaders including Ejaz Chaudhary and Yasmin Rashid to varied terms in the cases pertaining to May 9 riots, Aaj News reported.

Hearing two cases regarding torching Shah Zaman police station and vehicles, Judge Manzar Ali Gul announced this verdict at the Kot Lakhpat jail.

The ATC has exonerated Qureshi in both the cases.

Whereas, the court has sentenced former Punjab health minister Yasmin, former Senator Ejaz, former Punjab governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema and former Punjab housing and urban development minister Mehmood-ur-Rashid to 10 years in prison each. Furthermore, ex-MNA Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed have been sentenced to five years imprisonment each.

As per details, the ATC has sentenced 13 accused in the police station arson case and acquitted 12 others. Similarly, in the arson and vandalism case outside Rahat Bakery, the court sentenced seven accused and acquitted 10 others.

Those acquitted include Suhail Khan, Owais, Rafiuddin, Fareed Khan, Salman Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, Faizan, Tayyab, Sultan, Shahid Baig, Majid Ali, and Bakht Rawan.

ATC frames charges against six PTI workers in May 9 cases

Leaders of the embattled PTI have been facing multiple cases for their alleged involvement in the violent protests that erupted countrywide on May 9, 2023 following arrest of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in a corruption case.

Imran, who has been in prison since 2023 facing charges of corruption, land fraud and disclosure of official secrets, is also being tried separately on similar charges related to the riots.

The government accused him and other PTI leaders of inciting the May 9, 2023, protests, during which demonstrators attacked military and government buildings, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and Jinnah House Lahore.

The former prime minister denies wrongdoing and says all the cases are politically motivated to dismantle his party.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on August 5 disqualified several PTI legislators including Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub and Zartaj Gul as well as Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza, following their conviction by an ATC in Faisalabad in the cases pertaining to May 9 riots.

Through a notification, the election commission announced since they had been convicted by the ATC, therefore, they were disqualified and de-notified. Hence, the ECP said, their seats have become vacant.