Daily Times

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday indicted several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, along with party workers, in a case related to the torching of police vehicles in Mughalpura during the May 9 riots. Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed were among others who were indicted. ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gill conducted the proceedings at Kot Lakhpat Jail, where the accused PTI leaders were produced. The court formally charged the accused, who pleaded not guilty and expressed their intention to contest the charges. Following this, the court adjourned the proceedings until December 2 and summoned the prosecution witnesses to record their statements. Meanwhile, the court postponed the indictment of the accused in three other cases, including the torching of Shadman Police Station and police vehicles near Jinnah House, until November 28. The postponement was due to the absence of some accused, and the charges will now be framed at the next hearing. The court also approved applications filed by a counsel for Sanam Javed and Aalia Hamza, exempting his clients from personal appearance for one day. The counsel stated that both women were attending court proceedings in Peshawar. Khadija Shah and Rubina Jamil appeared during the proceedings, and attendance was completed for Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other detained accused.