Islmabad(The COW News Digital)An anti-terrorism court in Lahore has sentenced senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ijaz Chaudhry, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, and Mian Mahmood ur Rasheed to ten years in prison each in connection with the May 9 attack on the GOR Gate at Club Chowk. The court, however, acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the same case, granting him relief after the prosecution failed to establish charges against him.
The verdict was announced by Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Manzar Ali Gul inside Kot Lakhpat Jail under strict security arrangements. The court had reserved its decision on December 18 after the conclusion of final arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
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According to court records, a challan was submitted against 25 accused individuals, while four suspects were declared absconders during the course of the trial. The prosecution examined a total of 56 witnesses to support its case, presenting evidence related to vandalism, arson, and attacks on law enforcement personnel during the violent protests that erupted on May 9.
The case was registered at Race Course Police Station and pertains to the attack on the GOR Gate at Club Chowk, where protesters allegedly damaged government property and security infrastructure. As per the First Information Report (FIR), the accused were involved in breaking security cameras, smashing glass panels at the GOR Gate, damaging police wireless equipment, and attacking police officials deployed at the site.
The FIR further states that the violent crowd was led by PTI leader Hammad Azhar and that the accused leaders incited party workers to engage in riots and acts of rebellion following the events of May 9. The prosecution argued that the actions constituted terrorism under relevant sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act due to the scale of violence and the targeting of state institutions.
Defence lawyers maintained that the charges were politically motivated and claimed that their clients were falsely implicated. However, the court ruled that sufficient evidence existed to convict the four leaders, while the benefit of doubt was extended to Shah Mahmood Qureshi, resulting in his acquittal.
The verdict marks a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings related to the May 9 unrest, which saw widespread protests and attacks on public and military installations across the country. Several cases linked to those events are still pending before anti-terrorism courts in different cities.
