Anti Terrorism Court Awards Ten Year Sentences in May 9 Violence Cases

An anti terrorism court in Lahore has announced verdicts in two cases linked to the violence of May 9. The decisions were delivered inside Kot Lakhpat Jail by Judge Arshad Javed. The cases involved incidents of burning vehicles in Gulberg and setting containers on fire at Kalma Chowk.

The court sentenced Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mahmood ur Rashid, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, and Ejaz Chaudhry to ten years in prison each. The verdicts followed the court’s finding that their involvement in the arson incidents had been proven.

Prosecutors argued that the acts caused fear among the public and resulted in damage to property. The court accepted the evidence presented by the police as sufficient to establish guilt.

At the same time, the court acquitted several other accused in both cases. In the Gulberg vehicles burning case, 22 suspects were cleared of all charges. In the Kalma Chowk container burning case, five accused were acquitted.

Police had earlier submitted charge sheets through Gulberg and Nasirabad police stations. Authorities informed the court that dozens of individuals were named in the cases, while some accused, including Mian Aslam Iqbal, were declared absconders.

With these verdicts, two more cases connected to the May 9 incidents have reached their legal conclusion.