LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Wednesday handed down a major verdict in the May 9 Mughalpura arson case, sentencing four senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and four party workers to 10 years in prison each, while acquitting former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and 12 other accused.
The case pertains to incidents of arson and attacks on police vehicles in Lahore’s Mughalpura area on May 9.
The verdict was announced by ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul at Kot Lakhpat Jail, where proceedings in the high-profile case were held.
The court sentenced senior PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Ejaz Chaudhry and Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed to 10 years imprisonment after finding them guilty.
In addition to the party leaders, four PTI workers — Shah Din, Khawar Hussain, Ahmad Zahid and Syed Rehman — were also awarded 10-year prison terms.
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On the other hand, the court acquitted PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the case due to insufficient evidence.
It is pertinent to mention that the Anti-Terrorism Court has so far delivered verdicts in eight cases related to the events of May 9. With his acquittal in the Mughalpura case, Shah Mahmood Qureshi has now been acquitted in six of those cases.
Besides Mr Qureshi, the court also ordered the release of 11 PTI workers. Those acquitted include Salman, Adnan, Shoaib, Shahzaib, Rizwan, Haroon, Azam, Shamshad, Abbas, Tayyab and Hafiz Usman.
