An Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore handed down convictions to senior PTI leader Yasmin Rashid and several others on Friday, marking a significant legal development in the ongoing cases stemming from the May 9 riots.
Judge Khalid Arshad presided over the proceedings, delivering the verdict in the case registered at the Sarwar Road police station. While the court found Rashid and her co-accused guilty of charges related to the violent protests that erupted following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan last year, it cleared PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi of the charges in this specific case.
The verdict centers on the chaos that gripped Lahore on May 9, 2023, when military installations and public property were targeted. Prosecution lawyers argued that the accused played a central role in inciting supporters to storm sensitive sites.
For the PTI, the acquittal of Qureshi offers a rare judicial win, though the conviction of Rashid—a key figure in the party’s Punjab chapter—adds to the mounting legal pressure on the party’s leadership. Rashid has remained incarcerated for months, with her legal team consistently arguing that the charges are politically motivated efforts to dismantle the party’s grassroots organization.
The court’s decision to separate Qureshi’s fate from that of his colleagues highlights the complex nature of the evidence presented. Defense attorneys maintained throughout the trial that the state lacked direct evidence linking the senior leadership to the specific acts of arson and vandalism that occurred on the day of the protests.
The convictions serve as a stark reminder of the state’s aggressive pursuit of those identified in the May 9 incidents. Hundreds of cases remain active across the province, with the judiciary facing intense scrutiny as it balances the government’s demand for accountability with the rights of the accused to a fair, transparent trial.
While the legal battle for the convicted leaders will now shift to the appellate courts, the verdict reinforces the government’s stance that those involved in the May 9 violence will face the full weight of the anti-terrorism laws. For now, the sentencing phase will determine the immediate future of those found guilty, setting the stage for further challenges in the higher courts.
