Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry among PTI leaders sentenced to 10 years over May 9 unrest

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday sentenced four Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders and three others to 10 years in prison over May 9 unrest.
ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the verdict inside Kot Lakhpat Jail, handing the sentences to Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rashid, and Ijaz Chaudhry. The court also ordered the arrest and presentation of 12 absconding accused, including Mian Aslam Iqbal.
The trial involved a total of 24 accused in the Kalmati Chowk container-burning case. The prosecution presented 37 witnesses, and the Nasirabad Police had submitted the challans of 36 accused. Several absconders during the proceedings included Murad Saeed, Zubair Niazi, Ali Hasan Nawaz, Shabbir Hussain, Aziz-ur-Rehman, Zarif Khan, Syed Khan, Muhammad Javed, Abdul Samad, Hammad Azhar, and Wasiq Qayyum.
The court noted that the accused were charged with inciting rebellion and encouraging public unrest. In total, PTI leaders have now been sentenced to more than 200 years in various May 9 cases.
Dr Yasmin Rashid’s lawyer, Rana Mudasir Umar, told the media that although the cases were scheduled for routine proceedings, the defence was not given a full opportunity to present their case, adding that the verdicts were announced late at night. He confirmed that the imprisoned leaders remain resolute and that the sentences will be challenged in higher courts.
Yesterday, an ATC delivered another verdict in a separate May 9 case. Several senior PTI leaders were handed long prison terms, while Shah Mehmood Qureshi and others were acquitted. In this ruling, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Omar Sarfaraz Cheema received 10-year sentences in an arson and encirclement case.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, along with 12 other accused including Abdullah Badr, Mushtaq Ahmed, and Qasim Elahi, was acquitted in the GOR gate breaking case. During the trial, statements of 21 accused were recorded, with the prosecution presenting 56 witnesses and the Race Course Police submitting the challan. The court declared four accused absconders during the proceedings. Muhammad Shahbaz was also sentenced to 10 years, while a total of 13 accused were acquitted in this case.
On August 11, ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gill had sentenced several PTI leaders, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, to 10 years in two separate May 9 cases.
In the Jinnah House vehicle torching case, Rashid, Cheema, Chaudhry, Rasheed, Ayesha Ali Bhutta, Muhammad Fahim, and others were handed 10-year terms. Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed received five years each, while Shah Mehmood Qureshi and six others were acquitted. In the Shadman Police Station torching case, 12 out of 25 accused, including Qureshi and Sohail Khan, were acquitted. Several suspects in both cases had been previously declared absconders, and one accused died during the trial.
May 9 violence
The May 9, 2023 unrest erupted after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises in a graft case. Thousands of supporters stormed public and military installations, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore and GHQ in Rawalpindi, resulting in widespread damage and fatalities.