LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday framed amended charges against PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and others in three cases related to May 9 riots.

ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill conducted the hearing at Kot Lakhpat Jail, where the amended charges were formally presented in all three cases, including the one pertaining to burning police vehicles near Jinnah House.

During the proceedings, the attendance of the detained PTI leaders, including Mr Qureshi, former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Dr Yasmin Rashid, was marked. Those released on bail, including former MNA Aliya Hamza Malik, social media activist Sanam Javed and Khadija Shah, also appeared before the court.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty and decided to contest the trial.

At this the judge directed the prosecution to present its witnesses on the next hearing on March 6.

The prosecution had requested amendments to the charge sheet, which the court had accepted.

The prosecution stated that the charges against the accused persons had been framed in a vague and complex manner as multiple offences had been clubbed together under one head.

It said any accused, at a later stage of the trial, can take an undue advantage to secure his/her acquittal in the cases.

The prosecution said the trial in the cases was at an initial stage and the proposed amendments to the charge will not cause any delay in the conclusion of the trial.

It pointed out that only statements of the witnesses had been recorded and their cross-examination was yet to be conducted by the defence.

Therefore, the prosecution argued that the charges framed by the trial court may be amended in a way that each offence placed under a separate head of charge in the interest of justice and fair play.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2025