SARGODHA: Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, has been sentenced to a decade in prison in relation to the May 9 events. An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Sargodha delivered a concise verdict, sentencing a total of 70 individuals from the city. Notably, neither Bhachar nor any other accused appeared in court at the time of the ruling.
Among those sentenced was Ahmad Chattha, another PTI lawmaker, along with several party workers, all receiving the same 10-year jail term. Previously, in relation to the Mianwali riots and acts of vandalism, the court had exempted 32 accused individuals, including Bhachar, from appearing in court.
Earlier this month, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) overturned convictions for four PTI members who had been sentenced for their involvement in the May 9 riots, specifically for attacking the Ramna police station in Islamabad. The individuals—Mira Khan, Muhammad Akram, Shahzeb, and Sohail Khanhad been handed various sentences by an ATC earlier this year, but the IHC ruled that the prosecution could not prove their presence at the scene.
The May 9 protests erupted following the arrest of PTI leader Imran Khan, leading to widespread violence and unrest nationwide. The ATC had convicted multiple PTI supporters under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, and the Anti-Terrorism Act, with sentences ranging from several months to ten years. Allegations included rioting, arson, attempted murder, mischief, and obstructing law enforcement officials.
However, the IHC bench, comprising Justice Azam Khan and Justice Khadim Soomro, found insufficient evidence to link the four accused to the crimes, concluding that their presence at the scene could not be established.
In a related development, last month, Imran Khan was acquitted in two cases linked to the May 9 riots by a district and sessions court. Justice Umar Shabbir, a judicial magistrate, delivered the verdict, citing lack of evidence as the basis for the dismissal of the cases filed against the PTI leader at Shehzad Town police station. PTI’s legal representatives, Mirza Asim Baig and Naeem Panjotha, argued on Khan’s behalf during the proceedings.
