LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday announced its verdict in two May 9 arson cases, conducting proceedings inside Kot Lakhpat Jail under strict security.
ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul delivered the reserved judgments in cases linked to the arson incidents outside Rahat Bakery and at Shadman Police Station.
The court sentenced Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed to 10 years in prison each, while Sanam Javed and Aliya Hamza were given five-year sentences.
Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was acquitted in both cases.
PHC halts action against PTI leaders
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday intervened to temporarily halt the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from taking further action against senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub, who were recently disqualified from their parliamentary positions by the commission.
The ECP had issued disqualification notifications on Tuesday, removing Shibli Faraz from his role as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Omar Ayub from his position as Opposition Leader in the National Assembly. The commission also disqualified other prominent PTI-affiliated figures, including former MNA Zartaj Gul and Sunni Ittehad Council chief Hamid Raza, citing their convictions in cases connected to the May 9, 2023, riots.
The riots erupted across Pakistan last year after PTI supporters launched violent protests following the arrest of party founder Imran Khan. Protesters attacked military installations, vandalized state-owned properties, and stormed the residence of the Lahore corps commander.
In the aftermath, thousands of PTI leaders and workers were arrested, many of whom now face long prison sentences. An anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad recently sentenced over 100 PTI leaders and workers to jail terms ranging from several years to a decade. Faraz, Ayub, and Zartaj Gul were among those convicted.
However, the PHC bench, comprising Justice Arshad Ali and Justice Farah Jamshed, noted that both Faraz and Ayub had appealed their convictions in the Lahore High Court (LHC). Since their appeals were still pending, and their convictions were not yet final, the court ruled that the ECP had acted prematurely by issuing disqualification notifications.
In its identical orders, the bench restrained the ECP from pursuing any further action until the legal process concludes. The court also granted protective bail to both Faraz and Ayub, enabling them to formally submit their appeals.
Addressing the media, Omar Ayub accused the ECP of violating legal procedures by disqualifying him without awaiting the outcome of the appeal. He expressed gratitude to the PHC for granting him time and legal protection. A day earlier, Ayub had termed the anti-terrorism court’s judgment as a “bogus verdict” on social media, pledging to challenge both the conviction and disqualification in court.
