LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Tuesday dismissed applications of PTI’s former senator Ejaz Chaudhry and former provincial minister Mian Mahmood Rashid seeking suspension of their sentences as an interim relief in multiple cases related to the May 9 riots.

The bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa heard the pleas of the incarcerated leaders of the PTI.

The PTI leaders had filed appeals challenging their conviction in the cases of May 9 riots along with applications for the suspension of the sentence as an interim relief.

However, the bench dismissed the pleas for interim relief and adjourned the hearing on the main appeals.

Separately, the bench allowed a similar application of PTI leader Afzal Azeem Pahat and suspended his sentence.

PTI leaders including Ejaz Chaudhry, Dr Yasmin Rashid, former governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid have been handed down sentences by the anti-terrorism courts in five cases including an attack on Shadman police station, violence at Sherpao Bridge, burning police vehicles near Rahat Bakery and torching a Supreme Court judge’s squad vehicle near Jinnah House during the May 9 protests.

The convictions involve charges including abetment of violence and criminal conspiracy, with each accused awarded an average sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment in the respective cases.

The May 9 riots had erupted after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan by the National Accountability Bureau from the Islamabad High Court premises.

PTI leaders and workers attacked military facilities and public property across the country.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2026