ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday set aside the conviction of suspects who had allegedly ransacked the Ramna police station on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.

A divisional bench of the IHC resumed hearing the appeals filed against the conviction of the May 9 suspects.

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), on May 30, had convicted Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Abdul Latif of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and sentenced him to a cumulative 27 years of imprisonment for attacking the Ramna police station during the violent May 9 riots.

On May 9, 2023, PTI supporters, protesting the arrest of party founder Imran Khan, staged violent demonstrations across the country, vandalising military installations and state-owned buildings, and also attacked the Lahore corps commander’s residence.

Following the riots, thousands of protesters, including party leaders, were arrested.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra handed down the sentence under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code after finding the convicts guilty of attacking the Ramna police station during the riots.

MNA Abdul Latif, who was elected from NA-1 Chitral, was not present in court when the verdict was announced.

The judge told the convicts that 20 witnesses, including magistrates, had recorded testimonies against them, and noted that protests should be peaceful and participants should not take the law into their own hands.

Arguing before the division bench, PTI’s counsel Dr Babar Awan, along with his legal team comprising Barrister Abdullah Babar, Amna Ali and Advocate Sardar Masroof, rejected the prosecution’s claim that the suspects attacked the police station.

At the outset, when the judges took up the application seeking suspension of the sentence, Dr Awan argued that the case lacked evidence and acquittal was imminent.

He requested the court to hear the main appeals instead of the application for suspension of sentence.

During the course of arguments, Dr Awan stated that the accused could be charged with violating Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, but could not be prosecuted under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

He pointed out that the ATC law could not be invoked for exercising the fundamental right of peaceful assembly.

He claimed the prosecution had recovered a baton, a PTI-coloured cap, and the party’s flag from the suspects.

He argued that the investigating agency had not recovered any weapons from the suspects’ custody.

Dr Awan further pointed out that in the Noor Mukaddam case, the Supreme Court had termed CCTV footage a “silent witness.”

However, in the May 9 violence case, no footage had been produced before the trial court to substantiate the allegations against the convicts.

After hearing the arguments, the bench acquitted the accused who were present in court.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2025