An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday sentenced several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders — including Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed — to 10 years in prison each in connection with the May 9 riots case.
Shamelessness at Its Peak…
An ATC judge has convicted the Opposition Leader of Punjab and PTI Central Punjab’s President and General Secretary, not for any proven crime, but merely for their association with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
This marks a disturbing first in… pic.twitter.com/HDqiNKEK3n
— PTI (@PTIofficial) July 22, 2025
The court also handed down similar sentences to former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, PTI Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, and Afzal Azeem Pahat. The verdict, which had been reserved earlier, was announced today by the ATC. However, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, along with Hamza Azeem Pahat, Rana Tanveer, and Aizaz Rafiq, was acquitted in the same case.
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This ruling marks another major blow to the Imran Khan-founded PTI. Earlier in the day, a separate ATC in Sargodha sentenced Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar, MNA Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, and several other party workers to 10 years each in a vandalism case also linked to the May 9 unrest.
In response, Bhachar announced his intent to challenge the verdict in the high court, calling the ruling politically motivated and in violation of constitutional principles. “This verdict is not grounded in law but stems from political bias,” he stated, claiming due legal process was not followed. He also accused the government of influencing the judiciary, citing the aftermath of the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
The case, registered in Mianwali, pertains to riots and vandalism during the May 9, 2023, protests that erupted after the arrest of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan in a corruption case. These developments followed the Lahore High Court’s rejection of Khan’s bail petitions in eight cases related to the May 9 violence, including the attack on Lahore’s Jinnah House.
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The string of verdicts has deepened the legal troubles for PTI, which recently launched an anti-government campaign set to culminate on August 5, as per Khan’s instructions from prison.
‘Judiciary has failed’
At a press conference, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan lambasted the court rulings, alleging that legal procedures were ignored and accusing the judiciary of collapse. “These decisions show that the judiciary has failed. People have lost faith in the courts,” he claimed, adding that the same two witnesses were being used repeatedly in different May 9 cases.
Gohar also pointed out that three PTI lawmakers, including the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, had been sentenced in identical cases, which he said violates constitutional principles barring multiple trials for a single case across jurisdictions.
Legal expert Salman Akram Raja echoed these concerns, arguing the sentences were not just targeted at PTI leaders but represented a broader threat to democracy. He questioned the credibility of witnesses, highlighting that the same individual was making similar accusations in various trials across Punjab. Raja called on the judiciary and institutions to consider the broader impact on justice and civil rights.
Government’s response
On the other hand, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik defended the rulings during an appearance on Geo News. “Justice has been served. All evidence was presented, and the legal process was fully adhered to,” he said, rejecting PTI’s allegations as politically driven.
“This is the same party that often failed to present lawyers or appear in court,” he added. “They simply refuse to accept any verdict that goes against them — regardless of its legal validity.” Malik stressed that the verdicts were in complete alignment with the Constitution and the law.
May 9 violence
The May 9, 2023, protests erupted nationwide following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan outside the Islamabad High Court in a graft case. The demonstrations turned violent, resulting in attacks on public property and military installations, including Lahore’s Corps Commander House (Jinnah House).
While some PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after initial arrests, many remain incarcerated. Imran Khan, ousted from power via a no-confidence vote in April 2022, has been in prison since August 2023, facing numerous charges ranging from corruption to terrorism.