RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Saturday sentenced 47 individuals, including several leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to 10 years in prison each for their involvement in the May 9 riots.
The verdict was announced by ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah, who found prominent PTI figures Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Shehbaz Gill, and Hammad Azhar guilty in the case.
According to the court’s ruling, the convicted individuals played a key role in organising violent protests and unrest that erupted on May 9, 2023. The court also identified Kanwal Shuzaib, Rashid Shafiq, Zulfi Bukhari, Muhammad Ahmed Chatha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Muhammad Murtaza, Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Usman Saeed Basra, and Ijaz Khan as central conspirators behind the incidents.
All 47 individuals had previously been declared proclaimed offenders during earlier hearings.
The court observed that those convicted were involved in attacks on important military sites, including the GHQ Gate, Hamza Camp, and the Army Museum.
In addition to the prison sentences, the judge imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on each convict and ordered the confiscation of their properties.
The ruling stated that the accused were responsible for planning and inciting violent protests, as well as acts of arson, vandalism, assaults on police personnel, and destruction of government property.
The case initially included 118 accused persons, among them PTI founder Imran Khan and senior party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who were formally indicted in December 2024. During the trial, statements from 44 prosecution witnesses were recorded.
Court records show that 18 of the accused remained absent throughout the proceedings, while 29 others never appeared in court after the case was registered. Under provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act, a separate trial was conducted for the 47 individuals who were declared absconders.
Background: May 9 riots
On May 9, 2023, thousands of supporters of Imran Khan took to the streets after the former prime minister was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in a corruption case.
Protests quickly turned violent in several parts of the country. Demonstrators attacked public and military properties, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
The unrest followed Khan’s arrest and came amid political tensions after he became the first prime minister in Pakistan’s history to be removed from office through a vote of no confidence.
