Court permits probe of Sanam Javed, Alia Hamza for May 9 riots

GUJRANWALA: An anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala granted permission for the joint investigation team (JIT) Gujranwala to investigate Sanam Javed and Alia Hamza in connection with the May 9 riots on Thursday.

During the hearing of the vandalism case in Gujranwala Cantt on May 9, the JIT petitioned the court to probe Sanam Javed and Alia Hamza.

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The petition stated that both women were currently detained in district jail in Sargodha. An arrested suspect implicated Sanam Javed and Alia Hamza in the conspiracy to orchestrate the attack in Gujranwala on May 9.

The application also referenced a letter from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and civil media videos as supporting evidence.

The JIT requested permission to interrogate both individuals in Sargodha Jail, and the court granted this request.

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May 9 refers to riots that erupted across Pakistan on May 9 last year. The protests soon turned violent, resulting in damage to government and military facilities. The government responded with a crackdown, imposing a mobile internet blockade and initiating trials in military courts.

To investigate the riots, the Punjab Home Department established 53 JITs, resulting in over a thousand arrests in Lahore alone, with 3,200 detained across Punjab. Cases were filed under anti-terrorism laws, primarily in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and other cities.