LAHORE – An Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore on August 11, 2025, acquitted Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two additional cases linked to the May 9 unrest, while sentencing several senior leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to prison terms ranging from five to ten years. The rulings are part of ongoing legal proceedings stemming from violent incidents that erupted across Pakistan following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in 2023.
According to the verdict, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and former provincial minister Mian Mehmoodur Rashid were each handed 10-year sentences. In a separate decision under the same proceedings, PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed were sentenced to five years in prison in the Shadman police station case.
The convictions relate to two main incidents from May 9, 2023: the torching of police vehicles near Lahore’s Jinnah House and the attack on Shadman police station. Prosecutors alleged that the accused were directly involved in instigating and leading violent mobs that caused extensive damage to public property. The defence denied these allegations, claiming the cases were politically motivated.
Both cases were heard within Kot Lakhpat jail under strict security arrangements. Over the course of the hearings, the prosecution presented witness testimonies, forensic evidence, and video footage to support the charges. The defence argued that the evidence was insufficient and that the accused were exercising their right to peaceful protest.
The court, after reviewing all submissions, ruled in favour of acquitting Qureshi on the grounds of insufficient evidence linking him to acts of violence. However, it found the remaining defendants guilty under sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act related to rioting, arson, and damage to state property.
The verdict marks another significant chapter in the legal aftermath of the May 9 protests, which saw widespread clashes, attacks on military and government installations, and mass arrests of PTI leaders and supporters across Pakistan.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.