An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Friday handed down a cumulative sentence of 15 years and 4 months to 11 individuals, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Abdul Latif, in connection with the attack on Ramna police station during the May 9 riots.
The court found the accused guilty of multiple offenses, including attacking a police facility, inciting violence, damaging public property, and obstructing law enforcement during protests triggered by the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2023.
MNA Abdul Latif and his co-accused were sentenced under various anti-terrorism provisions:
- 5 years for attempted murder of police personnel
- 4 years for arson involving a motorcycle
- 3 years for obstructing police from performing duties
- 1 year for forming an unlawful assembly
The court also imposed fines alongside the prison terms.
In its verdict, the court cited the testimony of 20 prosecution witnesses, including magistrates, which linked the accused directly to the violence and confirmed their roles in the attack on the police station.
ATC Judge emphasized that while the right to protest is protected, it must remain peaceful. “You are accused of attacking police stations in the capital. If our own people turn against state institutions, the country will become ungovernable,” the judge stated.
This ruling is part of a broader legal crackdown on PTI leaders and supporters involved in the nationwide unrest on May 9, which saw widespread damage to public property and confrontations with law enforcement.
