An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Saturday delivered another key verdict in cases linked to the May 9, 2023 riots, acquitting former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while sentencing four senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders to 10 years in prison.
The court, led by Judge Manzer Ali Gill, sentenced Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, and former senator Ejaz Chaudhry for their alleged role in violent protests in Lahore’s Mughalpura area. The case involved accusations of attacking and burning police vehicles during the unrest.
The verdict, which had been reserved earlier in the week, was announced inside a temporary courtroom set up at Kot Lakhpat Jail, where the accused were presented. Alongside Qureshi, 11 PTI workers were also acquitted. In total, 22 individuals had been named in the case, while two others remain at large after being declared proclaimed offenders.
Prosecutors argued that the accused had planned the violence and incited party workers to carry out attacks during the protests. They presented testimony from 37 witnesses and called for strict punishment.
The May 9 riots erupted across Pakistan following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan by the National Accountability Bureau at the Islamabad High Court. The protests quickly turned violent, with crowds targeting military installations, government buildings, and private property. In Lahore, demonstrators attacked key sites, including the residence of the corps commander.
Thousands of people, including party leaders, were arrested in the aftermath. Courts have since been handling multiple cases tied to the unrest. So far, verdicts have been issued in several cases, with the same four leaders receiving repeated sentences.
Earlier rulings covered incidents such as attacks on police stations, arson near public areas, and assaults on official vehicles during the protests. The latest decision adds to a growing list of convictions linked to one of Pakistan’s most turbulent days in recent years.
