Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz and Zartaj Gul among 185 PTI Leaders Sentenced to 10 Years in Jail on 9 May Riot Case

MNA Zain Qureshi, MPA Khayal Ahmad Kastro

and former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry

were acquitted in the same case

Web Desk

Faisalabad: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Thursday sentenced senior PTI leaders, including Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz, Hamid Raza, and Zartaj Gul Wazir, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for their roles in the violent May 9, 2023, protests across Pakistan.

The court convicted 108 out of 185 accused PTI workers involved in attacks on military and state installations following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. Protesters had stormed sensitive sites, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence, prompting a nationwide crackdown.

In the same case, PTI MPA Junaid Afzal Sahi was handed a three-year jail term, while MNA Zain Qureshi, MPA Khayal Ahmad Kastro, and former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry were acquitted. Arrest warrants were issued for those convicted in absentia, including Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz.

According to the detailed court order, the prosecution presented undeniable evidence against 17 top opposition figures, proving criminal conspiracy and abetment. All were fined Rs 1 million and sentenced under multiple PPC sections, including Sections 109, 120B, and 34.

Ninety other accused received multi-year sentences for direct involvement in the riots under Sections 148, 152, 153, 186, 188, 291, 324, 337, 341, 353, 436, and 440 of the Pakistan Penal Code, and several clauses of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. Penalties included fines up to Rs 1 million and property forfeiture.

The court noted that these sentences will run concurrently, and any prior detention will count toward the total jail time. Additionally, 77 accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Reacting to the verdict, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced plans to challenge the decision in higher courts. He called the cases politically motivated and vowed continued resistance. “We don’t believe in violence. These are baseless political cases meant to derail our movement,” he said in Islamabad.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), PTI condemned the sentences as a state-backed attempt to suppress its planned protest on August 5. “This verdict is a gross violation of the Constitution and a dark stain on justice,” the party declared.

The party accused the judiciary of acting under pressure and claimed the sentences aimed to target PTI’s mass mobilisation and loyalty to Imran Khan’s vision. “These decisions will only fuel our resolve,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan voiced concern over the mass sentencing, stating that the misuse of anti-terror laws against civilians violates due process. The Commission called for fair trials in civilian courts.

Earlier in May, a separate ATC in Islamabad sentenced MNA Abdul Latif and others to 27 years for attacking a police station during the May 9 unrest. In December 2024, military courts handed prison terms to 85 civilians involved in similar attacks.