Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul among others handed 10-year jail term in May 9 case

• ATC sentences 108 individuals in May 9 case.
• Court acquits Fawad, Zain Qureshi and Kastro.
• Junaid Afzal Sahi gets three-year jail term. 
  

FAISALABAD: A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Thursday sentenced several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul and others to 10 years in prison each in connection with a case registered in the aftermath of the May 9, 2023, violence at the Civil Lines Police Station. 

In its verdict, the special ATC sentenced 108 individuals of the total 185 accused, which also includes Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, who has been handed 10 years imprisonment.

The court also acquitted former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi and Khayal Kastro in the May 9 case.

In the second case registered at the Civil Lines Police Station, the anti-terrorism court sentenced 28 out of the 32 accused and acquitted four individuals.

A total of 107 people were named in the case, of which 32 were tried. Among those acquitted are Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi and Khayal Kastro.

In another case related to the May 9 violence registered at Ghulam Muhammadabad Police Station, the court sentenced 60 individuals, while seven of the 67 accused were acquitted.

The court also handed down a three-year jail term to Junaid Afzal Sahi in the aforementioned case.

Reacting to the verdict, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan decried that a total of 45 years' sentence has been handed over to the party leaders in back-to-back judgements in three days.

"These decisions will destroy democracy," Gohar said while speaking to the media.

"The judiciary is seen with hope, but the people have become disappointed with it. There is still time to save this system," the PTI chairman said.

"We want the system to work, democracy to be strong," added Gohar.

Today's verdict comes days after PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed were awarded a 10-year sentence in the May 9 case. The court also awarded sentences to former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, PTI leaders Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and Afzal Azeem Pahat in the same case.

Before that, Sargodha ATC sentenced Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachar, MNA Mohammad Ahmed Chattha and several other PTI workers to 10 years each in prison in May 9 vandalism case.

The back-to-back verdicts added to the legal woes of the former ruling party, which formally launched its anti-government campaign a week ago, set to reach its "peak" by August 5, following the directives of the incarcerated PTI founder.

May 9 mayhem

The May 9, 2023, events refer to the violent protests that broke out in several parts of the country following the arrest of the PTI founder and saw attacks on public properties and military installations, including Corps Commander House Lahore, also known as Jinnah House.

The riots were triggered by the arrest of ex-premier Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case.

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

The deposed prime minister, who was ousted from power via the opposition's no-confidence motion in April 2022, has been behind bars since August 2023 as he was facing a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism.