An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Friday delivered a major verdict in cases linked to the May 9 riots, sentencing senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI leaders) to lengthy prison terms while acquitting former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
The court sentenced Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmoodur Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, and three other accused to 10 years in prison each. The ruling was announced by ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul inside Kot Lakhpat Jail, where proceedings were held under heightened security.
In contrast, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and 13 co-accused were cleared of all charges in the same case, which related to an attack on the GOR-1 gate near Lahore’s Club Chowk during the unrest that followed the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in May 2023.
According to court records, the prosecution presented testimony from 56 witnesses, while final statements of 21 accused were recorded. Four individuals were declared proclaimed offenders during the trial. The case was registered by Race Course Police Station and centered on allegations of vandalism, damage to state property, destruction of surveillance equipment, and assault on police personnel.
Prosecutors maintained that a mob, allegedly led by PTI leader Hammad Azhar, attacked the GOR-1 gate, inciting violence and causing widespread damage. The court ensured the presence of both detained defendants and those out on bail throughout the proceedings.
The verdict marks the fifth conviction for several of the sentenced PTI leaders in cases arising from the May 9 riots, underscoring the mounting legal pressure on the party. Since the unrest, dozens of PTI figures have faced trials, convictions, or continued detention, while Imran Khan remains incarcerated in multiple cases.
The legal fallout has also reshaped Pakistan’s political landscape. Last month, the Election Commission of Pakistan de-notified several PTI lawmakers, including Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz and National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan, following their convictions in related cases. Earlier, an ATC in Faisalabad handed 10-year sentences to multiple PTI leaders over violence reported at the Civil Lines Police Station.
The May 9 riots erupted after Imran Khan was arrested from the Islamabad High Court premises in a corruption case. Protests quickly escalated nationwide, with crowds storming government buildings and military installations, including the Corps Commander’s House in Lahore and the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
While some PTI workers and leaders were later released on bail, many continue to face prosecution. Friday’s ruling reinforces the state’s hard line on accountability for the violence and highlights the continuing legal challenges confronting PTI leaders more than a year after the unrest.
