LAHORE: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore has acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the Shadman police station arson case and the vehicle torching incident outside a bakery, both linked to the May 9 unrest.
ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul announced the verdict inside Kot Lakhpat Jail, concluding trials in both high-profile cases. In the Shadman police station arson case, 12 accused, including Qureshi, were acquitted, while others faced severe penalties. Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mahmood ur Rashid, Ijaz Chaudhry, and Umar Sarfaraz Cheema were sentenced to 10 years in prison each. PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed received five-year jail terms along with fines of Rs 100,000 each.
The Shadman case initially named 41 accused, with 15 declared absconders. Currently, six accused remain in custody and one has passed away. Charges included terrorism and other criminal offences.
In the separate case of setting vehicles ablaze outside a bakery, Qureshi was again acquitted, but several leaders, including Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfaraz Cheema, Ijaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmood ur Rashid, Aliya Hamza, and Sanam Javed, faced trial. Out of 25 accused, seven were declared absconders and five remain in custody.
To date, verdicts have been announced in three May 9 cases in Lahore, with two different judges sentencing 31 accused and acquitting 26. Shah Mahmood Qureshi has now been cleared in all three concluded cases, but still faces trial in 11 other May 9-related cases in the city.
