August 11, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two separate cases arising from the May 9 riots, while handing down prison terms of five to 10 years to several senior party leaders.
The verdicts relate to the attack on Shadman police station and the torching of police vehicles near Jinnah House during the nationwide violence that erupted after former PTI chairman Imran Khan’s arrest last year.
ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill announced the judgments inside Kot Lakhpat jail, where the trials were conducted. The court had reserved both verdicts on Saturday after day-long proceedings in two sessions inside the prison.
The court awarded 10-year prison terms each to PTI party leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, and former Punjab ministers Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed and Umar Sarfraz Cheema, while Alia Hamza Malik and Sanam Javed were sentenced to five years each.
Shadman Police Station arson case
Police had filed a challan against 41 accused in the Shadman police station case. Of them, 25 faced trial, 15 were declared proclaimed offenders, and one died during proceedings. The prosecution produced testimony from 45 witnesses.
Thirteen (13) defendants were convicted, while 12 — including Qureshi — were acquitted. Those acquitted were: Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Muhammad Owais, Muhammad Faizan, Tayyab Sultan, Shahid Baig, Sohail Khan, Rafiuddin, Fareed Khan, Salman Ahmad, Abdul Qadir, Majid Ali, and Bakht Rawan. Four acquitted defendants — Owais, Faizan, Sultan and Baig — were juveniles aged 17 at the time of arrest and remained on bail during the trial.
Those sentenced to 10 years were Dr Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Muhammad Faheem, Niaz Ahmad, Ali Hasan, Zain Ali, Munfar, Asad Ali, and Bilal Wajahat. PTI leaders Alia Hamza Malik and Sanam Javed received five-year terms.
Police vehicle torching case
In the Rahat Bakery police vehicle torching case, 17 accused were indicted and seven declared proclaimed offenders. One defendant died during proceedings. Sixty-five prosecution witnesses testified.
The court sentenced Dr Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, and Ayesha Bhutta to 10 years in prison. It acquitted Amjad Khan, Abrar Ahmad, Faisal Mianuddin, Muhammad Jameel, Saadia Naz, and Tasneem Naz of the charges.
Last month, the same ATC had acquitted Qureshi but sentenced Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, and others to 10 years in another May 9 case — involving violence on Sherpao Bridge in Lahore Cantonment, registered by Sarwar Road police.
PTI vows to challenge convictions
Reacting strongly to the court’s verdicts, a PTI spokesperson said the sentences handed to the party’s senior leadership and workers in the May 9 cases were “a slap in the face of justice” and based on “political vendetta”.
“These rulings disregard legal principles and the requirements of a fair trial,” the spokesperson said, adding that proceedings were held behind closed doors late into the night “to shield the process from public and media scrutiny” and to deliver predetermined outcomes.
The party alleged that “baseless and laughable evidence” had been accepted without legal justification, calling it an “open insult to the principles of justice.” The spokesperson said convicting “the country’s most popular political leaders, who are peaceful and law-abiding citizens, on terrorism charges makes a mockery of both the Constitution and justice.”
According to the statement, “these successive unjust verdicts, delivered under a scripted plan, aim solely to corner PTI and intimidate its leadership and workers.”
Vowing not to be deterred from its struggle for democratic rights and rule of law, PTI said it would challenge all the “unjust” convictions in the high courts and the Supreme Court, and “fight for justice till the last breath.” The statement demanded that “the spirit of law and justice be restored” and that all politically motivated cases be withdrawn.
“We stand by our innocent leaders and workers and will pursue every legal and democratic avenue to secure justice,” the spokesperson said, adding that PTI “categorically rejects” the verdicts and reaffirms its resolve to continue its legal, political, and public struggle at all levels.