ATC convicts 11, including PTI's Abdul Latif, for May 9 violence
PTI protesters take to the streets in Lahore on May 9, 2023. SCREENGRAB
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An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Friday convicted and sentenced 11 accused to various jail terms and fines in cases related to the violence on May 9, 2023, over charges of attacking the Ramna police station, attacking policemen, setting properties on fire, and spreading terrorism.
The convicted men include Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) member of the National Assembly Abdul Latif and former member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly (MPA) Wazirzada Kailashi.
After the verdict, four convicts were arrested from the court premises, while warrants were issued against seven others.
The four arrested convicts were Muhammad Akram, Mira Khan, Shahzeb, and Sohail Khan. Warrants were issued against Abdul Latif, Wazirzada Kailashi, Zaryab Khan, Samuel Robert, Abdul Basit, Shan Ali, and Muhammad Yousuf.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra delivered the verdict, stating that the accused attacked the Ramna police station and opened fire, pelted stones, and tried to kill the policemen. The accused also set fire to motorcycles.
The court said that the accused were sentenced to 10 years in prison and a fine of Rs200,000 each for terrorism; five years in prison and a fine of Rs50,000 each for attempting to kill police officials; four years in prison and a fine of Rs40,000 each for burning motorcycles.
Another four-year prison term and a fine of Rs40,000 each were awarded for burning the police station; three months in prison for interfering in police work; and one month in prison for violating Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
May 9 cases refer to the violent attacks on state installations in 2023 following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan over corruption charges. Several people were arrested in these cases, which were tried and convicted by military courts as well as ATCs in different cities.
Meanwhile, ATCs across the country have been hearing more cases. In April, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, ordered the ATCs to decide on the May 9 cases within four months.
Of those, 14 cases of the Lahore district were pending in two ATCs in the Punjab capital, which are being heard in Kot Lakhpat Central Jail on a daily basis. However, an ATC judge said that the unavailability of case records was creating hurdles for the court in meeting the Supreme Court's deadline.
ATC Administrative Judge Manzer Ali Gill wrote to Punjab Prosecutor General Syed Farhad Ali Shah, pointing out that police records were not available to the deputy prosecutor conducting the trial because of one reason or another.
The judge said that he brought the matter to the notice of the prosecution office for taking necessary actions for recording as many witnesses as possible on each date of hearing. Otherwise, the court would proceed as per law.
It has been noted that most of the May 9 cases were adjourned owing to the unavailability of the records of the cases. On each date, police officials informed the courts that the records of the cases were available with the Supreme Court.
(WITH INPUT FROM OUR LAHORE CORRESPONDENT)
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