Lahore, August 25: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Pakistan on Monday sentenced 75 leaders and workers of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to jail terms ranging from three to 10 years for their role in the May 9 riots.
According to court officials, the violence stemmed from an attack on the residence of senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Punjab president Rana Sanaullah.
“The ATC Faisalabad sentenced 59 PTI leaders and workers to 10 years of imprisonment, while 16 others received three-year terms. A total of 34 accused were acquitted,” a court official told PTI.
In all, 109 individuals were accused in the case, with the court convicting 75 of them. The ruling is one of the largest sentencing decisions tied to the widespread unrest that erupted after Imran Khan’s arrest last year, which saw attacks on military and political installations across Pakistan.
The May 9 riots have become a defining flashpoint in Pakistan’s political crisis, with Khan’s party alleging victimization and the government framing the violence as an assault on state institutions.