An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday started the process of declaring 16 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers, including Mian Aslam Iqbal, Farrukh Habib, and Zubair Niazi, as proclaimed offenders in two cases related to May-9 violence. The court directed the prosecution to publish a proclamation in the newspapers for the appearance of the suspects. ATC Judge Abher Gul Khan initiated the process under Section 87 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on an application filed by the police. The investigation officer of Sarwar Road police had filed the application with a plea to start the process of declaring the accused as proclaimed offenders for not joining the investigation and judicial proceedings. He submitted that the accused had not surrendered before the court despite the issuance of their non-bailable arrest warrants. The Sarwar Road police had registered two cases against the PTI leaders and workers over torching police vehicles at Rahat Bakery chowk and provocative speeches during May-9 violence.