An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Saturday granted post-arrest bail to senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in connection with the May 9 riots, which involved allegations of arson and attacks on public property.
ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul delivered the ruling, which had been reserved a day earlier after hearing final arguments from both the defense and prosecution.
The case, registered at Shadman Police Station, accused the former foreign minister of inciting violence and orchestrating attacks on public infrastructure following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan last year.
Qureshi’s legal team argued that the charges were politically driven and lacked any direct evidence tying him to acts of vandalism. The prosecution countered by claiming that Qureshi had incited violence through his speeches and instructions to supporters.
After reviewing the case materials and hearing both sides, the court granted bail and ordered the submission of surety bonds.
In a separate development, a local court in Islamabad acquitted PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Omar Ayub, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Shoaib Shaheen in a related case stemming from the May 9 incidents, which had been registered at Karachi Company Police Station.
The court concluded that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence linking the accused to the alleged offenses.
The unrest on May 9, triggered by the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, led to widespread protests and violent incidents. Numerous PTI leaders have since faced legal proceedings under anti-terrorism and public order laws, with many cases still ongoing across the country.
