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LAHORE, Dec 19 (APP): An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday sentenced eight Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers to prison, while acquitting 13 others, including senior PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in the GOR-1 gate, Club Chowk attack case.
ATC Judge Manzer Ali Gill announced the reserved verdict at Kot Lakhpat Jail. The court had reserved its decision a day earlier after hearing detailed arguments from the parties.
The court awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment each to former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, former senator Ejaz Chaudhry, former provincial ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, along with PTI workers Qasim Elahi, Muhammad Shehbaz, Mushtaq and Abdullah.
In addition to the prison terms, the court imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on each of the eight convicts.
Meanwhile, the court acquitted Shah Mahmood Qureshi and 12 other accused due to lack of evidence.
A total of 25 accused were nominated in the case, out of whom four were declared proclaimed offenders during the course of the trial. The court recorded statements of 56 prosecution witnesses during the proceedings.
The case was registered by Race Course Police Station over the attack on GOR-1 Gate, during the May 9 violence. According to the FIR, the accused damaged security cameras, smashed police wireless equipment, broke glass panels at the GOR Gate, caused damage to government property and assaulted police personnel
With this verdict, decisions have now been announced in five cases related to the May 9 incidents. Shah Mahmood Qureshi has already been acquitted in four cases, while trials in other cases — including those related to attacks on Jinnah House and Askari Tower — are still underway.