May 9 vandalism: PTI leaders indicted

LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday indicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Yasmin Rashid, Main Mehmoodur Rasheed and Ejaz Chaudhry in a May 9 vandalism case.

PTI leaders were booked at Shadman police station for vandalism on May 9, following the arrest of the former prime minister in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

Following the indictment, the ATC ordered the trial of the suspects in jail.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Home Department has submitted a comprehensive report about May 9 riots.

The 17-page report, endorsed by the Standing Committee on Law and Order, officially attributed the May 9 violence in Lahore to Imran Khan and PTI’s central leadership. The report said the events were pre-planned.

According to the rules, the report was made a regular part of the official documents.

Read more: May 9 conspirators deserve no leniency: Shehbaz Sharif

The report characterizes the events as a “war against the state”, stating that the attack on military and state institutions were pre-planned. “The institutions were attacked at the behest of PTI central and local leadership,” it added.

The report holds PTI leadership accountable, naming individuals like Hammad Azhar, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Ghulam Mohiuddin, Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, Umar Sarfaraz Cheema, Mansab Awan, Azam Khan Niazi, Bajash Niazi and Murad Raas.

May 9, 2023, witnessed a nationwide protest by PTI supporters, during which a spate of violence erupted, resulting in significant damage to public and private property, as well as loss of life and injuries.

The protests spiraled into chaos as military, civil, and private installations were targeted, with reports of arson, vandalism, and clashes with law enforcement authorities.

Notably, the Corps Commander’s residence in Lahore –  also known as Jinnah House –  was stormed by protesters, while a gate of the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was breached.

In response to the mayhem, law enforcement agencies swiftly took action, arresting approximately 1,900 individuals allegedly involved in the violence and unrest. Cases were also registered against Imran Khan and other PTI workers in connection with the events of May 9.