An anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge has directly blamed PTI's senior leadership for the riots of May 9, 2023, declaring that "each and every leader of the PTI deems it his duty to mobilize the workers of the PTI just to show his sincerest attachment with their chairman, Imran Khan."
Judge Manzar Ali Gill ruled that PTI senior leadership repeatedly incited their workers and supporters against state institutions by portraying Imran Khan as the "Nijat Dahinda" (savior) of all their problems — ranging from injustice and insecurity to social grievances.
"Consequently, his arrest [on May 9, 2023] led to attacks on military installations and official buildings," Gill wrote in his detailed judgment in a case against PTI leaders, which included charges of "attacking and setting ablaze a vehicle of a Supreme Court judge's squad" during the riots following Khan's arrest.
On September 9, Gill sentenced 17 convicts, including former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Ejaz Chaudhry, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, to ten years in prison each. However, he acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and several other PTI workers.
The judgment noted that, after reviewing the prosecution's evidence — including social media accounts, press clippings, and television footage — "the court is of the view that each and every leader of the PTI tried his best to give hope, confidence, and support, charging the workers and public at large to come out of their homes and participate in the protest upon the arrest of their leader, Imran Khan."
Judge Gill further remarked that PTI leaders, except Qureshi who pleaded alibi, "tried their best to achieve the targets set by Imran Khan during meetings held on May 7 and May 9, 2023, at Zaman Park, as deposed by two prosecution witnesses."
He added: "It is no doubt that workers and supporters of the PTI take the advice and command of their leader Imran Khan as sacred."
On the criminal conspiracy charges, the judge cited the testimony of two secret police witnesses, Hassam Afzal and Muhammad Khalid. He observed that they remained consistent throughout lengthy cross-examinations. Defense lawyers attempted to disprove their presence at Zaman Park but did not challenge the fact that meetings were actually held there.
The witnesses testified that they entered Khan's residence in plain clothes, mingling with PTI workers.
Judge Gill noted: "As trained secret police officials, they knew how to blend into gatherings. It is a universal truth that every country has secret police working furtively. Almost in every political or social gathering, such officials are deputed to monitor sentiments and strategies."
He dismissed the defense plea that the social media accounts relied on by the prosecution were fake.
"None of the accused ever lodged a complaint with PEMRA [Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority] claiming their accounts were fake. In the absence of such a complaint, it cannot be presumed that their accounts were run by others," the judgment read.
Properties forfeited
The ATC also highlighted that, under judgments announced across Punjab, more than 130 PTI lawmakers and workers have had their entire properties forfeited.
Earlier, the ATC Faisalabad had ordered the forfeiture of properties of 90 convicts, while the Sargodha court, in two cases, ordered the forfeiture of 30 convicts' properties under Section 7(2) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
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