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196 Convicted by Anti-Terrorism Court Over May 9 Violence; PTI Leaders Among Those Sentenced
Faisalabad ATC sentences 196 accused over May 9 riots. PTI leaders Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul & others handed 10-year terms. PTI calls it political victimization; vows to challenge verdicts.
ND
by News Desk
2025-07-31
196 Convicted by Anti-Terrorism Court Over May 9 Violence; PTI Leaders Among Those Sentenced

A Special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad has handed down sentences to 196 individuals in connection with the May 9 riots that shook Pakistan following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Among the convicted are senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, Senator Shibli Faraz, former minister Zartaj Gul, and MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, all of whom received 10-year prison terms.

Multiple Verdicts in Separate Cases

The ATC announced judgments across three separate cases:

·       In the first case, 168 individuals were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each.

·       In the second case, related to an attack on a sensitive institution, 108 out of 185 accused were convicted, and the rest acquitted.

·       In the third case, connected to events at Ghulam Muhammad Abad police station, the court convicted 60 out of 67 accused, while acquitting seven.

Later in the day, the court ruled on a case registered at Civil Lines police station, where 28 of 32 accused were sentenced to 10 years in jail. Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi (son of Shah Mehmood Qureshi), Khayal Castro, and Abdullah Damar were acquitted in this case.

Notably, MNA Junaid Afzal Sahi received the shortest sentence of 3 years.

Just days ago, other PTI leaders including Ahmed Chattha, Ahmed Khan Bhachar, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, and Mian Mahmoodur Rashid were also handed 10-year terms in similar cases.

PTI Denounces Verdicts as Politically Motivated

Reacting to the court’s decision, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan termed it a “dark day for democracy”, alleging political victimization of the party’s leadership.

“Six MNAs, three MPAs, and one senator of PTI have been sentenced. These are not legal decisions—they are political tools being used to dismantle PTI,” said Barrister Gohar while speaking to the media in Islamabad.

He added, “Our leader remains in jail. Zartaj Gul has been punished merely for being the wife of a political figure. Yet, despite all injustices, PTI has stayed in the system and rejected extremism.”

Concerns Over Judicial Process and Election Commission

Barrister Gohar criticized the prolonged legal proceedings and raised questions about judicial impartiality. “I informed the Chief Justice that such delayed trials threaten the very foundation of democracy,” he said.

He also questioned the Election Commission’s practices, alleging that "notices are being issued in the dark of night" as part of a wider campaign to sideline PTI founder Imran Khan from mainstream politics.

He vowed to challenge all verdicts in the high courts, maintaining that all cases were fabricated on political grounds.

“PTI will announce its next course of action soon,” Gohar concluded, calling for justice and fairness in the legal system.

 
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