Pakistan court sentences PTI leaders to 10 years in jail for May 9 violence

Faisalabad [Pakistan], July 31 : A special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Thursday sentenced 10-year prison sentences to several senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, and Zartaj Gul, for their involvement in the May 9, 2023, riots, ARY News reported.

The court's verdict, announced in cases registered at the Ghulam Muhammadabad and Civil Lines police stations, convicted a total of 108 individuals, while acquitting 77 others.

According to the details, former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi, and Khayal Kastro were acquitted in these cases. On the other hand, PTI MPA Junaid Afzal Sahi received a three-year prison term, while Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, nephew of Sheikh Rashid, SIC head Sahibzada Hamid Raza, was also handed a 10-year sentence, as per ARY News.

Other convicted PTI leaders include Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, Chaudhry Bilal Ijaz, Mrs. Farrukh Agha, Farkhunda Kokab, Kanwal Shauzab, Mohammad Ahmad Chattha, Chaudhry Asif Ali, Shakeel Ahmad Khan Niazi, Sardar Azimullah Khan, Mehr Muhammad Javed, and Muhammad Ansar Iqbal.

According to ARY news, in the Ghulam Muhammadabad case, 60 out of 67 accused were convicted, while seven were acquitted in the Civil Lines case.

This verdict is part of a larger crackdown on PTI leaders and workers, with several others having been sentenced to prison terms in connection with the May 9 violence. In Lahore, an ATC had previously sentenced PTI leaders Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry to 10 years in prison for their roles in the Sharpao Bridge arson case, while acquitting Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

The court also ordered the acquittal of Hamza Azim and five other accused individuals, clearing them of charges related to the May 9 riots.

The trial court pronounced its reserved verdict in the case related to rioting at Sherpao Bridge in May 2023, following PTI founder Imran Khan's arrest.

Ali Hassan, Afzal Azeem Khalid Qayyum, Riaz Hussain, and former Punjab Governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema are among those jailed for 10 years.

Violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested on May 9, 2023.

The protests were held in remote and major cities as the party workers were agitated due to their chairman's arrest, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order.

Army installations, including the Corps Commander's house in Lahore, had come under attack during the protests by PTI workers.

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