LAHORE: An antiter­rorism court (ATC), which sentenced PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Ijaz Cha­u­dhry and Mian Mehmo­odur Rasheed to multiple jail terms in two cases related the May 9 riots, has also ordered the forfeiture of their properties and imposed fines.

“After the scrutiny of entire documentary evide­nce of the prosecution in shape of social media accounts, press clippings and news channels footages, the court is of the view that each and every leader of PTI tries his best to give a hope, confidence and support to charge the workers and public at large to come out from their homes and participate in the protest upon the arrest of their leader Imran Khan,” Judge Manzer Ali Gill ruled in a detailed verdict on the Shadman police station attack issued on Tuesday.

As the court also cleared PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi in this case, following his acqu­ittal in another May 9 case on Monday, his release order was issued by the judge. About Mr Qureshi, the judge said: “The accused stands acquitted of the charges in this case. If he is not required in any other case, he shall be released forthwith.” The judge also issued a release warrant for Mr Qureshi addressed to the superintendent of Central Jail Kot Lakhpat, Lahore

The judge observed that every PTI leader, includ­ing the present four accused (except Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who pleaded alibi), tried their best to achieve the targets set by their leader Imran Khan during meetings held on May 7 and 9, 2023, at Zaman Park, as testified by two prosecution witnesses.

He said there was no doubt that the PTI workers and supporters took the advice and command of their leader as sacred one. “They literally asked their leader Imran Khan as their ‘red line’ in each and every rally and gathering. Even their rival knows very well that the workers and supporters of PTI love their political leader being a mystical figure,” Judge Gill noted.

The judge observed that the prosecution evidence successfully proved that the four accused persons acted upon the directions of their leader and instigated or provoked the workers/supporters of PTI and general public to attack the military installations and other official buildings.

“Hence there remains no doubt in the mind of this court that accused Mehmoodur Rasheed, Ijaz Ahmad Ch., Dr Yasmin Rashid and Umar Sarfraz Cheema have committed the offence of hatching conspiracy, instigation and they further provoked the other accused persons to commit the illegal acts,” the verdict maintained.

The judge handed down 10-year rigorous imprisonment on three counts to 11 accused, including the four PTI leaders mentioned above, under Sections 7(1)(h) and 21-I of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, along with a fine of Rs500,000, and under Section 120-B of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The court also sentenced them to five-year jail terms each under Section 505-B of the PPC, with a fine of Rs100,000.

In the warrants for the commitment of sentence issued to the jail superintendent, the judge ordered the forfeiture of the properties of all four convicted PTI leaders under Section 7(2) of the ATA 1997.

Regarding former PTI MNA Aliya Hamza Malik and social media activist Sanam Javed, the judge observed that although both women were not present at the time and place of the incident, they were fully involved in the commission of the offence by inciting and instigating PTI workers and supporters through their social media accounts.

The court sentenced both women to five years’ imprisonment under Section 505-B of the PPC, along with a fine of Rs100,000 each. All sentences will run concurrently.

The judge issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of all convicts who were out on bail but not present in court at the time of the verdict. He directed the Shadman SHO to arrest them and send them to Central Jail Lahore to serve their sentences.

Additionally, the judge issued perpetual warrants for the arrest of several accused declared proclaimed offenders in the case.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2025