Shah Mahmood Qureshi acquitted, Yasmin Rashid sentenced to 10 years in May 9 case
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has acquitted six Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Hamza Azeem, in connection with the May 9 riots, while sentencing 10 others, including Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, to 10 years in prison on Tuesday.
The court delivered its verdict in the case concerning inflammatory speeches and vandalism at the Sherpao Bridge. The court, which had completed final arguments from both the defence and prosecution, reserved its decision before announcing the ruling.
The verdict stated that the ATC acquitted Qureshi, Azeem, and four other accused individuals due to insufficient evidence. However, the court found 10 others guilty and handed down 10-year prison sentences for their role in the violence that followed the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.
The case involves violent protests and damage caused to public and private property, including incidents of arson and vandalism, that erupted on May 9, following the arrest of the former prime minister.
Earlier, an ATC in Sargodha sentenced Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, PTI's Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar, and other party workers to 10 years in prison each.
They were found guilty of involvement in creating law and order disturbances, anarchy, and arson during the May 9 riots, which erupted following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.
The ATC judge delivered the verdict after hearing detailed arguments and finding that the prosecution had established its case. The defence counsels argued that the accused were not involved in the charges brought against them, claiming that these were politically motivated cases.
May 9 Riots
The May 9 riots erupted nationwide following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan, after which PTI leaders and workers staged protests targeting both civil and military installations, including Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
The military condemned the events as a "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.
As a result of the unrest, many PTI members were arrested and tried in military courts. In December, a military court convicted 25 individuals, including Imran Khan's nephew, Hassan Khan Niazi, and later sentenced 60 more.
In January, 19 convicts had their sentences pardoned following successful mercy appeals, although PTI expressed dissatisfaction over the limited number of pardons.
The military trials had initially been halted following a Supreme Court ruling but were resumed following the court's instructions to finalise pending cases and announce judgments for those involved in the violent incidents.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Express Tribune
ATC convicts 167 in May 9 riots; top PTI leaders jailed
Listen to article A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faislabad sentenced on Thursday top Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders to up to 10 years in prison in cases pertaining to May 9 protests. Opposition leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub, opposition leader in Senate Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza and former MNA Sheikh Rashid Shafiq - former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed's nephew - were among the 108 PTI leaders convicted out of the 185 implicated in the cases while 77 others were acquited. Around 60 of those convicted including Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul and Hamid Raza were sentenced to 10 years in prison each while other convicts were each handed prison terms of three years. Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry was acquitted along with Zain Qureshi, Khayal Kastro, Faizullah Kamoka, Rana Asad Mehmood Khan, Bilal Ashraf Basra, Haroon Rasheed, Amara Rasheed, Sahibzada Hassan Raza, and Kamran Warraich. Shafiq was absent from court during the hearing and did not appear. He has reportedly gone into hiding to avoid arrest. Warrants issued Earlier today, ATC issued arrest warrants for 50 PTI leaders in connection with various protest-related cases registered at multiple police stations in the federal capital ahead of PTI's August 5 protest. The warrants were issued by Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja called for a nationwide protest on August 5 last week, urging the public to support what he termed a 'historic movement' for national sovereignty rather than mere political survival. Raja condemned what he described as unconstitutional actions against PTI lawmakers and a broader crackdown on dissent. He specifically criticised the Punjab Assembly's decision to send references against 26 PTI members to the Election Commission of Pakistan, calling the move unlawful and politically motivated, and asserted that PTI members would continue to raise their voices against this step. The warrants for 41 PTI leaders were issued on Thursday, while arrest warrants for nine others had been issued earlier. The warrants were issued in a case number registered at Karachi Company Police Station. Prominent names among those facing arrest include former President Arif Alvi, Abdul Qayyum Niazi, Shibli Faraz, Faisal Javed, Salman Akram Raja, Rauf Hassan, Murad Saeed, and Ahmad Niazi. Arrest warrants have also been issued for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Asad Qaiser, Hammad Azhar, Atif Khan, Shoaib Shaheen, Azam Khan Swati, Omar Ayub, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza. Other PTI members named in the warrants include Aleema Khanum, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Kanwal Shauzab, Shandana Gulzar, and Sher Afzal Marwat. Faizabad protest case In the Faizabad protest case, which pertains to demonstrations held over former prime minister Imran Khan's disqualification, the court maintained that the status of CM Ali Amin Gandapur as a proclaimed offender remains unchanged. The court ordered Islamabad Police to arrest Gandapur, stating that the arrest warrants remain in effect. The court further directed that if any order exists from the Peshawar High Court, it must be complied with. PTI leader Faisal Javed Khan and others appeared before the court. Upon a request from lawyers, the hearing was adjourned until August 6. The case against Ali Amin Gandapur and others is registered at Industrial Area Police Station. March 18 protest In a separate case pertaining to PTI leaders' protest on March 18, the ATC issued arrest warrants for PTI MNA from Faisalabad, Ali Afzal Sahi. Judge Tahir Abbas Supra, who also presided over this case, noted that "Ali Afzal Sahi has not appeared before this court to date". Arrest warrants were also issued for other absent PTI workers. Hearing for the case registered at Golra Police Station was adjourned till August 9. November 26 protest Meanwhile, in the case registered at Secretariat Police Station related to the November 26 protest, the court dismissed the bail of an accused who repeatedly remained absent. Arrest warrants were issued for those not present at the hearing. A forensic report related to the case was submitted, and the next hearing was set for August 5. The hearing of the November 26 case registered at Kohsar Police Station was also adjourned until August 4. Arrest warrants were issued for accused individuals who failed to appear. Non-bailable arrest warrants have been issued for 15 PTI leaders, including Arif Alvi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Kanwal Shauzab, Zubair Niazi, and Asad Qaiser, in connection with ten cases registered in Rawalpindi related to the November 26 protest, government prosecutors said Thursday. Addressing a press conference outside an ATC in Rawalpindi, prosecutor Syed Zaheer Shah, flanked by district prosecutor Chaudhry Muhammad, stated that bail cancellation requests for 68 accused individuals have also been filed, along with separate applications against their guarantors. Zaheer Shah said that delaying tactics by the accused will no longer be tolerated. In the case registered at Sadiqabad Police Station, nine out of 111 nominated individuals have already been convicted. A total of 31 cases related to the November 26 protest have been registered in the Rawalpindi Division — including 20 in Attock, 10 in Rawalpindi, and one in Chakwal. Thirteen accused are currently on interim bail. According to the prosecutor, the accused appear in court once and submit outdated medical reports to request adjournments. He said that investigations in all 31 cases have been completed, and after the issuance of non-bailable warrants, the accused typically secure protective bail from high courts. Cop's killing in Taxilla In a case involving the killing of a police officer in Taxila, Imran and Bushra Bibi are among the nominated accused. ATC has further issued non-bailable arrest warrants in the Wah Cantt and Naseerabad cases for Arif Alvi, Ali Amin Gandapur, Omar Ayub, Asad Qaiser, Hammad Azhar, and 20 others.
Business Recorder
13 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Information minister steps up criticism of PTI
LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Information and Culture, Azma Bokhari, said that the August 5, protest had already failed before it even started. She stated that the protest is nothing but a flop show, with even the current PTI leadership, party workers, and their close relatives showing complete disinterest. She remarked, 'Phuppo's dream remained unfulfilled; the nephews are not coming to Pakistan. The former sister-in-law has stopped her children from returning.' She added that when even the Mahatma's own children aren't participating in the protest, how could any so-called revolution succeed? She further noted that Aleema Baji herself had already predicted the protest's failure, and the current PTI leadership does not support the movement either. She strongly criticised the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, calling the Rs 354 billion corruption in local government institutions a 'public charge sheet.' Funds meant for the welfare of the people, she said, are being misused and squandered. Azma Bokhari highlighted the irony that those who consistently accuse others of corruption have themselves been setting new records of misappropriation for the past 12 years. Speaking on the May 9 incidents, Bokhari labelled them a dark chapter in Pakistan's history. 'Instead of expressing remorse or shame, these people continue to justify those disgraceful events,' she said. She concluded by saying, 'Those who set fire to martyrs' statues are now despised across the nation. Those being disqualified today are, in truth, guilty of a failed rebellion.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
13 hours ago
- Business Recorder
‘Reports that Qasim, Sulaiman have been asked not to come are baseless': PTI
LAHORE: Conflicting statements over whether Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's sons, Qasim and Sulaiman, will participate in the planned August 5 protest in Pakistan have sparked political debate and fuelled media speculation, prompting a formal clarification from the party. Earlier this week, journalists reporting from outside Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail quoted Khan, currently imprisoned on serious corruption charges linked to a UK-based money laundering case, as saying that his sons would neither return to Pakistan nor take part in any protests. This statement, attributed directly to the PTI founder, was swiftly picked up and widely circulated by national media outlets. However, the PTI has since rejected the reports, labelling them misleading and 'deliberately spread to create confusion and undermine the protest movement.' In a written statement, PTI Central Secretary of Information Sheikh Waqas Akram categorically denied that Khan had asked his sons not to come to Pakistan. 'The reports that Qasim and Sulaiman have been asked not to come are baseless,' he said. 'They will come to Pakistan; the only matter pending is the confirmation of travel dates.' He emphasised that the former prime minister's sons intend to support the ongoing political struggle and participate in the protest demonstrations, rejecting speculation that family disagreements or security concerns were behind their absence. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, offered a somewhat vague response when asked about the matter. 'Imran Khan's sons are currently campaigning in Washington, DC. It was their choice; they can come whenever they wish,' he said. His remarks did not confirm any travel plans, further adding to the confusion. The issue has also become a political talking point for government figures. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari mocked the PTI's protest preparations, declaring the August 5 demonstration 'a flop before it even began.' In a statement issued Wednesday, Bukhari remarked, 'Phuppo (aunty)'s wish did not come true, and the nephews are not coming,' a reference to the party's internal dynamics. She accused Imran Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, of anticipating the protest's failure and suggested that even close relatives had lost confidence in the movement. 'When the so-called revolution does not even have the support of the leader's children, how can it succeed?' she said. 'The current PTI leadership doesn't seem interested in the protest either.' Bukhari also shifted focus to alleged financial irregularities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's local governments, claiming that over Rs354 billion in misappropriated funds had been identified. She criticised PTI leaders for championing anti-corruption rhetoric while allegedly presiding over record levels of corruption during the past 12 years. 'Those now being declared ineligible were part of a failed mutiny. Instead of expressing remorse for the May 9 incidents, they continue to defend them — a deeply shameful stance,' she added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
