ATC convicts Yasmin Rashid, others, acquits Shah Mahmood in May 9 case

• Case pertains to arson of police vehicles on May 9, 2023.
• Court announces verdict reserved after final arguments.
• Development adds to legal woes of jailed PTI leaders.

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday sentenced four senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Mahmood ur Rashid and Ejaz Chaudhry, to 10 years imprisonment, and acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi of all charges in a May 9 case related to the burning of police vehicles.

ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul announced the reserved verdict inside Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, where the accused are being held.

The case is linked to the burning of police vehicles during the May 9, 2023, unrest and had been filed against 22 accused, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid and Ejaz Chaudhry among others.

The court had reserved its verdict after the completion of final arguments by the defence lawyers. During the proceedings, the prosecution had recorded statements of 37 witnesses before the case moved to the final arguments stage.

The development adds to the mounting legal woes faced by the Imran Khan-founded PTI, which has seen scores of leaders getting prison sentences over the May 9 riots while several others, including the former prime minister, remain behind bars in a plethora of cases.

It may be noted that Rashid, Cheema and Chaudhary are among the ones who have been found guilty in other May 9 cases earlier as well.

May 9 riots

Thousands of supporters of Imran Khan stormed public property and military installations, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore, on May 9, 2023, in protest against the former premier’s arrest.

The riots erupted after the PTI founder was taken into custody from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case.

During the unrest, the supporters of Khan — the only prime minister in Pakistan’s history to be ousted via a no-confidence vote — targeted civil and military installations, including the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

Several PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after their arrests, while many remain behind bars.