An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a case related to violence at the city’s Rahat Bakery Chowk during the May 9, 2023 riots, while sentencing Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, and others to 10 years’ imprisonment.
ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul issued the verdict in the case at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail. Among the PTI leaders convicted and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment were Mian Mehmoodur-Rasheed and former Punjab governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema. Additionally, the court convicted and sentenced fashion designer Khadija Shah to five years’ imprisonment. Rubina Jameel and Afshan Tariq were acquitted.
All the PTI leaders apart from Khadija Shah were previously convicted and sentenced in separate cases related to the riots and are already serving their sentence.
Last month, the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified and de-notified several convicted PTI leaders, including opposition leaders in the Senate and National Assembly Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub Khan, as well as Ejaz Chaudhry.
The May 9 riots saw thousands of supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan attacking public property and military installations, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s House to protest his arrest in a corruption case.