An anti-terrorism court in Lahore acquitted PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two more May 9 cases on Monday. The court, however, sentenced senior PTI figures — Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid — to 10 years in prison each. These cases were related to the torching of police vehicles near Jinnah House and the arson attack on Shadman police station. The judge announced the verdict after completing hearings at Kot Lakhpat Jail.
The court also handed five-year jail terms to PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed in the Shadman police station case. A total of 25 accused were indicted out of 41 in that case, while 15 were declared proclaimed offenders. In the Jinnah House case, 17 people were indicted, and seven were declared absconders. The court recorded statements from more than 100 prosecution witnesses across both cases.
These are not the first such convictions related to the May 9 riots. Last month, the same court sentenced Dr Yasmin, Cheema, and others to 10 years in prison in the Sherpao Bridge arson case. Qureshi was acquitted in that case as well. On July 22, a Sargodha anti-terrorism court also sentenced 32 PTI leaders and workers — including MPA Malik Ahmad Bachar — to 10 years in a related case.
The May 9 protests erupted after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case. Violent demonstrations followed, damaging military and public buildings. Protesters attacked Jinnah House in Lahore and even breached the gate of the GHQ in Rawalpindi. More than 1,900 people were arrested nationwide, and dozens of PTI leaders faced terrorism charges.
These court decisions reflect the state’s strong response to the unprecedented unrest on May 9, 2023. With more cases pending, further legal actions against PTI members are expected. The party continues to face political and legal pressure, as trials related to the riots continue across the country.