An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi on Saturday sentenced 47 individuals, including several senior leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, to 10 years in prison each for their role in the violent protests that erupted on May 9, 2023.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Amjad Ali Shah of the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), who found prominent PTI leaders — including Omar Ayub Khan, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Shehbaz Gill and Hammad Azhar — guilty of organising and inciting the riots.
Among others convicted were Kanwal Shauzab, Rashid Shafiq and Zulfi Bukhari, whom the court described as central conspirators in the unrest. All of the convicted individuals had earlier been declared proclaimed offenders during the proceedings.
According to the court ruling, the accused were involved in attacks on key military sites, including the General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi, Hamza Camp and the Army Museum. Judge Shah also imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on each convict and ordered the confiscation of their properties.
The court held the accused responsible for organising violent protests that involved arson, vandalism, assaults on police personnel and damage to public and government property.
The case initially included 118 accused, among them PTI founder Imran Khan and senior party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who were formally indicted in December 2024. During the trial, statements from 44 prosecution witnesses were recorded.
Court records show that 18 of the accused remained absent throughout the proceedings, while 29 failed to appear after the case was registered. Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, a separate trial was conducted for the 47 individuals who had been declared absconders.
Background: May 9 unrest
The violent protests erupted on May 9, 2023, after the arrest of Imran Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in connection with a corruption case.
Following the arrest, thousands of PTI supporters took to the streets and attacked public property as well as military installations. Among the most high-profile incidents was the assault on the Corps Commander House in Lahore and attempts to breach the General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi.
The May 9 unrest marked one of the most serious episodes of political violence in Pakistan in recent years and triggered a wide-ranging crackdown on members and supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.