An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore has sentenced senior PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid to 10 years in prison in connection with the May 9, 2023 riots.
The court also sentenced PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed to five years in prison in the Shadman police station case. The verdict was delivered by ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill at Kot Lakhpat jail, following hearings held inside the facility.
PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi was acquitted in two additional cases linked to the riots one involving the Shadman police station attack and another concerning the burning of police vehicles near Jinnah House.
In the Shadman case, 25 of the 41 individuals named in the challan were indicted, with statements recorded from 45 prosecution witnesses. Fifteen accused have been declared proclaimed offenders. In the police vehicles torching case, 17 were indicted, seven were declared proclaimed offenders, and statements from 65 prosecution witnesses were recorded.
The May 9 protests erupted after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan, leading to widespread unrest and the arrest of thousands nationwide. Last month, the Lahore ATC also sentenced several of the same PTI leaders to 10 years in prison over violence on Sherpao Bridge.
Ejaz Chaudhry has filed petitions in the Lahore High Court seeking the suspension of his sentence, release on bail, and eventual acquittal.
