A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced 75 members and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party to prison terms for their roles in the May 9 riots, with sentences ranging from 3 to 10 years. The charges relate to the attack on the residence of a senior PML-N leader. A court official reported that the Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad imposed 10-year sentences on 59 leaders and activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and 3-year sentences on 16 others. Additionally, 34 individuals were acquitted concerning the attack on the home of Rana Sanaullah, the PML-N Punjab President. In total, 75 of the 109 defendants have been convicted.
Among those sentenced are notable figures such as Omar Ayub, a former opposition leader in the National Assembly; Shibli Faraz, a former opposition leader in the Senate; Zartaj Gul Ahmed Chatha; Ashraf Khan Sohna; Sheikh Rashid Shafiq; and Kanwal Shozab. These individuals were previously sentenced to 10 years for an attack on an ISI building in Faisalabad, with these sentences running concurrently. Former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Zain Qureshi, the son of former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, were acquitted in this case. The events of May 9, 2023, saw Imran Khan’s supporters causing significant damage to military and government buildings, especially in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Imran Khan has been imprisoned for two years, and thousands of his party’s workers face charges related to the May 9 incidents. Following orders from the Supreme Court, courts in Punjab have begun sentencing PTI members. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has condemned the court’s decision, asserting it is based on false charges and manufactured evidence. Zulfi Bukhari, a close associate of Imran Khan, took to social media to denounce the verdict, citing alleged injustices against PTI members and ordinary citizens.
