LAHORE: Senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders currently incarcerated have strongly condemned what they termed the unlawful presentation of “star witnesses” in an anti-terrorism court (ATC) without the presence of the accused.

In a jointly signed condemnation letter from Kot Lakhpat Jail on Wednesday, PTI leaders — Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, former governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema, former health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid and former local government minister Mian Mahmoodur Rashid — called the move as a blatant violation of the law and Constitution of Pakistan.

They alleged that false testimonies were part of a fabricated conspiracy in six May 9 cases registered in Lahore — case numbers 366, 367, 97, 1280, 1283 and 1078.

“The state of justice in Pakistan is already in shambles, and no one trusts the system anymore,” the letter read. “Further injustices will worsen the situation and destroy the atmosphere of unity.”

The PTI leaders said the incident that occurred in the Lahore ATC amounted to the “last nail in the coffin” of the justice system.

They said that in case number 97, while the lawyers and accused were present in court, the prosecution had stated that only one witness would record a statement. However, after the lawyers and accused left the courtroom, two key witnesses — Hassam Afzal and Muhammad Khalid — appeared and gave testimony.

“This is a flagrant violation of the Constitution, the biggest injustice in the history of courts, and tantamount to a murder of the justice system in the country,” the letter stated.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2025