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Lahore ATC Releases Detailed Verdict in May 9 Arson Cases, Acquits 23 Accused
Lahore ATC released a detailed verdict in May 9 arson cases, acquitting 23 accused due to lack of evidence while sentencing 7, including senior PTI leaders, to prison terms.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-12-26
Lahore ATC Releases Detailed Verdict in May 9 Arson Cases, Acquits 23 Accused

The Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on May 9 issued a detailed written verdict in two cases related to arson and the burning of vehicles in the Gulberg area during the May 9 unrest.

According to the verdict, the court ordered the acquittal of 23 accused in the two cases due to insufficient evidence. However, seven accused, including senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment after being found guilty.

Senior PTI leader Mian Mahmood-ul-Rasheed was handed a cumulative sentence of 33 years in prison along with a fine of Rs600,000. The court clarified that he was awarded separate sentences under different sections of the law, which together amount to the total punishment.

The court also sentenced PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfaraz Cheema and Ijaz Chaudhry to 10 years in prison each.

In its written verdict, the court stated that the presence of Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ijaz Chaudhry and Omar Sarfaraz Cheema at a conspiracy meeting was proven during the trial. The prosecution maintained that four PTI leaders deliberately incited the public and spread chaos, leading to incidents of arson and violence.

The verdict further noted that the prosecution presented evidence including details of multiple WhatsApp messages and data from 70 social media accounts. Forensic reports related to the digital evidence were also submitted before the court.

According to the judgment, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) found the accused guilty, and none of the convicted individuals challenged the JIT report before any relevant forum. While the accused maintained their innocence in their final statements, the court ruled that the evidence presented was sufficient to establish their involvement and proceeded to announce the sentences accordingly.

The verdict marks a significant development in the legal proceedings related to the May 9 incidents and is expected to have major political and legal implications.
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PTILeaders

May9Cases

LahoreATC

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