An Anti Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi has sentenced 47 individuals, including several senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf, to 10 years in prison for their alleged role in the May 9 riots that shook the country in 2023. The verdict was announced on Saturday by ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah, who found the accused guilty of organizing and inciting violent protests following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.
Among those convicted are prominent PTI leaders such as Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Murad Saeed, Zartaj Gul, Shehbaz Gill, and Hammad Azhar. The court also convicted Kanwal Shuzaib, Rashid Shafiq, Zulfi Bukhari, Muhammad Ahmed Chatha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Muhammad Murtaza, Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Usman Saeed Basra, and Ijaz Khan. According to the ruling, these individuals played a central role in planning and coordinating the violent demonstrations that took place after Khan’s arrest.
The court stated that the accused were responsible for attacks on sensitive military installations, including the General Headquarters gate in Rawalpindi, Hamza Camp, and the Army Museum. Authorities also held them accountable for arson, vandalism, attacks on police personnel, and destruction of government property during the unrest.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on each convicted individual. The ruling also includes an order to confiscate the properties of those found guilty. During earlier proceedings, all the convicted individuals had already been declared proclaimed offenders due to their absence from court hearings.
The case initially involved 118 accused, including PTI founder Imran Khan and senior party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who were formally charged in December 2024. During the trial, the prosecution presented statements from 44 witnesses to support the allegations.
The May 9 riots erupted after Imran Khan was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in a corruption case. Following his arrest, thousands of supporters staged protests across the country, targeting public property and military facilities, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore and General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
