LAHORE (Kashmir English): An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Saturday sentenced four senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Mahmood ur Rashid, and Ejaz Chaudhry, to 10 years imprisonment in a May 9 case related to the burning of police vehicles.
However, the court acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi of all charges in the same case. ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul pronounced the verdict in Kot Lakhpat Jail.
The court had reserved its verdict after the completion of final arguments by the defence lawyers. During the proceedings, the prosecution had recorded statements of 37 witnesses before the case moved to the final arguments stage.
According to the prosecution, these leaders were accused of planning the violent events of May 9 and inciting workers to protest, riot, and revolt.
A total of 22 accused were named in the case, out of which two accused have already been declared as proclaimed offenders, while the court has pronounced a verdict against the remaining 20 accused.
It should be noted that after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9, 2023, PTI leaders and workers protested nationwide, and during this time, military installations were also raided.
Later, law enforcement agencies arrested several people during the crackdown, some of whom have been sentenced, while others are on trial.
