May 9 case: ATC hands 10-year sentences to Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry and others

LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court has sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mahmoodur Rashid to 10 years in prison each in the case related to the May 9 attack on the GOR Gate at Club Chowk.

ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gill announced the verdict at Kot Lakhpat Jail. The court had reserved its decision on December 18.

The court also ordered the arrest and production of four accused who were declared absconders during the trial. The proclaimed offenders include Farooq Anjum, Habib Ahmed, Arsalan and Akbar Khan.

A total of 25 accused were nominated in the case, while statements of 56 prosecution witnesses were recorded during the trial.

The case was registered at Race Course police station. According to the FIR, the accused vandalised security cameras at Club Chowk GOR Gate, smashed glass panes, damaged police wireless equipment, destroyed public property and attacked police personnel.

PTI leaders were accused of instigating party workers to rebellion and unrest during the May 9 incidents.

On September 9, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore had acquitted senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi in a May 9 attacks case. The same court had handed down 10-year jail terms to Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed and Omar Sarfraz Cheema among others.

Like previous May 9 cases, Qureshi escaped sentencing after the prosecution failed to prove his presence at the crime scene and violent protests.

It was July 22 when the quartet — Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed and Omar Sarfraz Cheema — got their first conviction. The latest conviction is their fifth.