LAHORE: In another case linked to the May 9 riots, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while awarding 10-year prison terms to senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmoodur Rashid and former senator Ejaz Chaudhry.
ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill announced the verdict inside Kot Lakhpat Jail after concluding the trial for torching a Supreme Court judge’s squad vehicle near Jinnah House during the May 9 protests.
The court also sentenced fashion designer Khadija Shah, granddaughter of former army chief Asif Nawaz Janjua, to five years in prison. However, former MNA Rubina Jamil, Afshan Tariq and Rubina Khan were acquitted due to a lack of evidence.
Of the 51 accused, the court acquitted 21, convicted 18 and declared 12 others, including PTI activist Sanam Javed, absconders for failing to appear before the court.
Among those sentenced to 10 years each were Junaid Ali, Salamat Khan, Najam Shahid, Saud Javed, Muhammad Faisal, Haroon Khan, Ahmed Mursalin, Elahi Bakhsh, Rana Talal Khurshid, Rana Tanvir, Hamza Sohail, Usman Aslam and Farhan Aziz.
Those acquitted included Umair Nazir, Farman Ali, Umar Bilal, Saadullah, Muhammad Qasim, Kashif Ahmad, Hafiz Ihsan, Amber Gul, Khalilur Rehman, Amir Yasin, Ali Hassan, Muhammad Qasim, Tayyab Ali, Mian Haroon, Bilal Zulfiqar, Yar Khan and Naeem Akhtar.
The Sarwar Road police had registered the case (FIR No. 109/2023) against PTI leaders and workers for attacking and torching a judge’s squad vehicle near Jinnah House and Rahat Bakery in Lahore Cantonment. The May 9 riots erupted after the arrest of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan by the National Accountability Bureau from the Islamabad High Court premises. PTI leaders and workers subsequently attacked military facilities and public property across the country.
This is the fourth case in Lahore in which Shah Mahmood Qureshi has been acquitted, while Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omer Cheema, Ejaz Chaudhry and Mehmoodur Rashid have been convicted.
Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2025
