An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad has sentenced several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders to jail in connection with the May 9 riots. The case relates to the attack on the residence of former interior minister Rana Sanaullah.
The court awarded 10-year prison sentences to senior PTI leaders Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, and Zartaj Gul. Other leaders, including Kanwal Shauzab, Ahmad Chattha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Ansar Iqbal, and Bilal Ejaz, were also handed the same punishment. PTI MPAs Ismail Sillah and Shahid Javed were convicted and sentenced as well.
ATC Judge Javed Iqbal announced the verdict, which had been reserved earlier. The case was registered at Samanabad Police Station after violent protests erupted on May 9, 2023. During these clashes, Rana Sanaullah’s house was among the reported targets.
In total, 109 people were accused in this case. The court convicted 75 and acquitted 34 due to a lack of evidence. Among the convicted, 59 received 10-year terms while 16 others were sentenced to three years in jail. However, PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Zain Qureshi were acquitted.
This ruling comes weeks after another ATC in Lahore announced verdicts in similar May 9 cases. On July 22, that court sentenced Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry to 10 years in prison. In the same case, Shah Mahmood Qureshi was acquitted.
The May 9 unrest followed the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. Protests erupted nationwide, with clashes reported in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, and Balochistan. Several government and military sites, including the Corps Commander’s house in Lahore, came under attack during the violence.
The sentencing in Rana Sanaullah’s house attack case adds to the series of legal actions against PTI leaders over the May 9 events. It highlights the ongoing judicial process surrounding one of the most turbulent political episodes in recent years.
To read the full details about Salman Akram Raja’s resignation as PTI Secretary General, click here.
