LAHORE: A Lahore High Court two-judge bench on Wednesday directed the office to club a prosecution appeal against PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s acquittal in Shadman police station attack with other May 9 cases’ appeals.

The bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa passed the order hearing the government’s appeal.

During the proceedings, Deputy Prosecutor General Muhammad Shafiq informed the bench that appeals filed by convicts sentenced in May 9 riots cases were already pending before the high court.

He said the office could provide the information about whether those appeals had been fixed for hearing.

At this, the bench directed the registrar office to club the prosecution appeal against Mr Qureshi’s acquittal with the other appeals relevant to the May 9 convictions.

The appeal argued that the trial court had acquitted Mr Qureshi contrary to the evidence on record, ignoring key facts that warranted conviction. It contended that the trial court failed to properly assess the evidence against the former foreign minister.

The prosecution asked the high court to allow the appeal and set aside the acquittal of Mr Qureshi.

On Aug 11, an anti-terrorism court had acquitted Mr Qureshi in two cases including Shadman police station attack and burning police vehicles near Jinnah House during May 9 riots.

On Sept 9, a trial court had acquitted Mr Qureshi in a case of torching a Supreme Court judge’s squad vehicle near Jinnah House, while another court set him free on July 22 in a case related to violence at Sherpao Bridge.

The former foreign minister is still behind bars facing trial in other cases of attacks that erupted after the arrest of PTI former chairman Imran Khan in a graft case by the NAB from the Islamabad High Court.

The leaders and the activists of the PTI had attacked military installations and other public properties.

ATC: The jail trial of two separate May 9 cases — including the burning of police vehicles in Gulberg and the attack on the PML-N office — entered its final phase, as the prosecution witnesses were cross-examined on Wednesday.

Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Arshad Javed conducted the proceedings inside Kot Lakhpat Jail, where both incarcerated and bailed accused appeared before the court.

During the hearing of the Gulberg police vehicles case, defence counsel cross-examined five prosecution witnesses, completing their statements.

The judge adjourned further proceedings till Oct 22.

A prosecutor said the trial reached its concluding stage and the verdict would be announced after final arguments are completed.

In the case of the attack on the PML-N office in Model Town, the prosecution witnesses also recorded their statements.

The judge adjourned the hearing of that case till Oct 18.

Among those present during the jail trial were senior PTI leaders Dr. Yasmin Rashid and Ejaz Chaudhry, along with several other detained party members.

The PTI leaders are accused of instigating workers to riot and rebel during the violent protests that erupted on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of party’s founder Imran Khan in a graft case.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2025