An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday handed ten-year prison period to Senior Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Dr. Yasmin Rashid, for their alleged involvement in the arson of a Supreme Court’s judging vehicle during the 9th of May 2023 protests.
The verdict was announced by ATC judge Manzar Ali Yellow after completing the prison trial in a case registered under FIR 9/23 at Sarwar Road Police Station. The incident took place in the midst of widespread protests after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.
In addition to former provincial Health Minister Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and party leaders Ejaz Chaudhry and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed have also been awarded 10-year prison conditions. PTI supporter Khadija Shah was sentenced and awarded a five-year prison.
However, the court acquitted PTI -Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi and two women Rubina Jamil and Difhanes Tariq due to insufficient evidence.
Read more: May 9: Lahore ATC also finds PTI leaders guilty
A total of 51 people, including five women, were named in the case, 39 of whom underwent a full trial held in prison rooms, while 12 were declared absent.
This is the third conviction of Dr. Yasmin in connection with May 9 -Vold. The 72-year-old was previously sentenced to ten years in prison by an ATC in Lahore on July 22. In this case, the court acquitted six PTI leaders, including Qureshi and Hamza Azeem, while they convicted ten others.
A special ATC in Faisalabad, July 31, sentenced 108 PTI leaders – including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Yellow, MNA SaHibzada Hamid Raza and former MNA Sheikh Rashid Shafiq – ten years in prison in connection with similar events, while 77 others were acquired.
On August 12, the same ATC in Lahore Dr. Yasmin, Cheema, Chaudhry and Rasheed, sentenced them to ten years in prison. PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed were also convicted in this case and each received the five-year period.
