ATC acquits PTI's Qureshi in another May 9 case

Sentences Rasheed, Dr Yasmin, Ejaz and Cheema to 10-years imprisonment

LAHORE:

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Saturday acquitted PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the May 9 Mughalpura police vehicles arson case, while sentencing four senior PTI leaders—Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Ejaz Chaudhary and Omar Cheema—to 10-years-imprisonment each.

ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gill announced the reserved verdict at Kot Lakhpat Jail, where the trial had been conducted under heightened security arrangements.

The case relates to the violent incidents that erupted on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. According to the prosecution, police vehicles were set on fire in Lahore's Mughalpura area during the unrest that broke out in the wake of Khan's arrest.

Lahore Police had submitted a challan against 22 accused including some top PTI leaders.

During the trial, the prosecution produced 37 witnesses in support of its case. All witnesses were cross-examined by the defence before the court completed proceedings and reserved its verdict.

In its decision announced on Saturday, the court acquitted Qureshi, finding insufficient grounds to convict him in the case. However, the court convicted Dr Yasmin, Rasheed, Chaudhary and Cheema, sentencing each of them to 10 years in prison.

The court announced its verdict regarding 15 accused in the case. Two suspects—Arbaz Zaman and Ilahi Bakhsh—had earlier been declared proclaimed offenders during the trial proceedings and were therefore not among those whose cases were decided on Saturday.

The May 9 violence followed the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan and resulted in multiple cases being registered across Pakistan over attacks on military installations, government buildings and public property.