75 PTI Leaders Sentenced in Pakistan for May 9 Riots Involvement

Lahore, Aug 25 (PTI) – An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has sentenced 75 leaders and workers of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to prison terms ranging from three to ten years for their involvement in attacking the residence of a senior leader from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) during the May 9 riots.

A court official informed PTI that the Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad sentenced 59 PTI members to ten years in prison, 16 members to three years, and acquitted 34 individuals in connection with the attack on Rana Sanaullah's house, the PML-N Punjab president.

The official noted that out of 109 accused, 75 individuals were sentenced in total.

Among the prominent figures convicted are former National Assembly opposition leader Omar Ayub, former Senate opposition leader Shibli Fraz, former lawmakers Zartaj Gul, Ahmad Chatha, Ashraf Khan Sohna, Sheikh Rashid Shafique (nephew of former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed), and Kanwal Shauzab.

The sentences will run concurrently with previous convictions involving the attack on the ISI building in Faisalabad, in which these leaders received ten-year sentences each.

Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry and Zain Qureshi, the son of ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were acquitted, according to the court official.

During the unrest on May 9, 2023, supporters of Imran Khan vandalized military and government buildings, primarily in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Imran Khan has been imprisoned for two years on various charges, and thousands of his party members remain incarcerated related to the events of May 9.

Punjab courts commenced the sentencing of PTI leaders and workers following orders from the Supreme Court.

In a strong rebuttal, the PTI condemned the court's decision, asserting that the ruling was founded on fabricated charges and false testimonies.

"Under the guise of May 9, innumerable injustices have been inflicted upon ordinary citizens, families, and the leadership of PTI," stated Zulfi Bokhari, a close aide to Imran Khan, in a post on X.

"One victim is Shahrez, one of Aleema Khan's sons, who has been remanded. The refusal of the judge to even briefly examine the evidence showing Shahrez was not in Lahore on May 9 represents a grave miscarriage of justice. This chapter will be remembered in history, and those responsible will not escape justice," he added.

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