Pakistan court sentences over 75 PTI leaders in 2023 minister house attack case

A Pakistani court has handed down prison sentences to more than 75 leaders and workers of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in connection with violent protests on May 9, 2023, during which demonstrators attacked the residence of then-federal interior minister Rana Sanaullah.

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad handed 10-year prison terms to 59 individuals and three-year sentences to 16 others. Meanwhile, 34 accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence. All sentences were issued in absentia.

Among those sentenced to 10 years are senior PTI figures including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, and Kanwal Shauzab.

Other convicted individuals include Ismail Silla, Ansar Iqbal, Bilal Ejaz, Ashraf Sohna, Mehar Javed, and Shakeel Niazi. Besides, prominent leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Zain Qureshi were acquitted by the court.

This case was one of four registered in Faisalabad related to the May 9 protests. Three others had already been decided, while this case, registered at Samanabad Police Station, initially named 109 individuals, including top PTI leadership, in connection with the attack and vandalism at Sanaullah’s residence.

Fresh verdicts tighten legal noose around PTI

The latest convictions add to a series of recent verdicts against PTI leaders stemming from the same unrest. Earlier this month, Pakistan’s election commission disqualified nine opposition lawmakers, including the leaders of the opposition in both houses of Parliament, following their convictions in related cases.

On August 11, an ATC in Lahore sentenced senior PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, and Ijaz Chaudhry to 10 years each, while party figures Alia Hamza and Sanam Javed received five-year terms.

The May 9 protests erupted after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a corruption case, sparking nationwide demonstrations that quickly escalated into violence. Protesters attacked government and military installations, prompting authorities to file charges ranging from terrorism to sedition and rioting.

Among the most high-profile incidents was the storming and vandalism of Jinnah House, which authorities described as a direct assault on state institutions.

Khan has denied any role in orchestrating the unrest, calling the charges politically motivated. His supporters have echoed this claim, accusing the government and military of using the violence as a pretext for a sweeping crackdown on his party.