RAWALPINDI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in cases related to the November protest.
Those whose arrest warrants have been issued include Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur, former President of Pakistan Arif Alvi, and several other senior PTI figures.
Warrants have also been issued for MNA Shahid Khattak, former Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid, Faisal Amin Khan Gandapur, Wahab Alvi, and Hammad Azhar. Additionally, Omar Ayub Khan, Shehryar Riaz, and Asad Qaiser are also among those facing arrest.The court issued the warrants in connection with three cases linked to the November protest. Aleema Khan and Azam Swati have also been named in the cases related to the events of November 26.
Following the court’s orders, special police teams have been formed to arrest the accused.Earlier, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore sentenced several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry to 10 years in prison and acquitted Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a case pertaining to arson and vandalism on May 9.
The ATC pronounced the verdict after conducting numerous hearings at Koth Lakhpat Jail , and recording evidences.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 on May, 2023 following PTI founder Imran Khan’s arrest. The court acquitted five accused, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while sentencing eight others, including Yasmin Rashid, Mahmood-ur-Rasheed, and Ijaz Chaudhry, to 10 years imprisonment each.
Ali Hassan, Afzal Azeem Khalid Qayyum, Riaz Hussain, and former Punjab Governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema are among those jailed for 10 years.
The May 9, 2023, protests in Pakistan followed the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan by paramilitary forces in Islamabad, prompted by the National Accountability Bureau in a corruption case
