LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court in Lahore has delivered a comprehensive written verdict on two cases linked to arson and vandalism during the May 9 unrest in the Gulberg area, assigning responsibility to senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders for inciting public disorder.
As per the ruling, Mian Mahmoodur Rashid was sentenced under several legal provisions, resulting in a cumulative 33 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs600,000.
Meanwhile, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, and Ejaz Chaudhry were each sentenced to 10 years in prison after the court found sufficient evidence supporting the charges against them. The verdict highlighted that their involvement in conspiracy-related meetings was substantiated during trial proceedings.
In a contrasting development, 23 other accused individuals were acquitted due to a lack of evidence. In total, seven individuals, including senior party leaders, were convicted and handed various prison sentences.
The written judgment underscored the prosecution’s claims that four prominent leaders, including Dr. Yasmin Rashid, played pivotal roles in instigating public unrest. To support their case, the prosecution presented evidence such as WhatsApp communications, records of 70 social media accounts, and forensic analyses.
The court noted that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had identified the accused as being culpable, and this conclusion went unchallenged by the defense before any judicial platform.
Although the accused insisted on their innocence in final statements, the court determined that the prosecution had effectively established the charges against them.
The court further referenced earlier rulings from December 20, where judgments in two other May 9-related cases were announced at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail. Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, and Umar Sarfraz Cheema were likewise sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment each in those cases.
The unrest on May 9, 2023, was triggered by the arrest of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan by Rangers at the Islamabad High Court premises. The protests that ensued rapidly devolved into violence, with attacks targeting military facilities and other state properties. This led to extensive arrests of PTI leaders and party members across the country.
