May 9: PTI leaders in hot water again

Further tightening the noose around the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in connection with the May 9, 2023 riots, the Rawalpindi district police have booked former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and former provincial law minister Basharat Raja in more cases of terrorism and obtained their arrest warrants.

The PTI president has been booked in three cases registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and other violations by three police stations of Taxila Circle, while a similar case has been registered against Basharat with the Rawalpindi Cantt police following the RA Bazar case.

Read: Eight get bail in May-9 rioting case

Pervaiz is already facing trial in corruption and other cases and is currently incarcerated in the Adiala Jail. In a letter from the Rawalpindi police, the authorities concerned have been informed that Pervaiz has been named in FIR No 940 registered with the Taxila police on May 9, FIR No 948 registered with the Taxila police on May 11, and FIR No 744 registered with the Saddar Wah police on May 10.

In a similar separate report, it is mentioned that ex-provincial minister Basharat Raja, who was earlier nominated in a case registered under the ATA and other provisions in the RA Bazar police station, has now been named in another case (836/23) registered under the same provisions with the Cantt police.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2024.