May 9 cases: Lahore ATC remands Shah Mahmood Qureshi for 5 days

LAHORE: A Lahore anti-terrorism court (ATC) approved a five-day physical remand of incarcerated PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in eight cases related to the violence that erupted in the country after party founder Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9 last year, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

ATC Judge Khalid Arshad approved the physical remand while hearing the May 9 cases registered in different police stations of Lahore.

The court also allowed the investigation team to interrogate Shah Mahmood Qureshi at Adiala Jail until June 10. Qureshi’s virtual appearance from Adiala Jail was conducted via WhatsApp call.

The development came days after Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted PTI founder Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the short verdict after accepting the appeals of the former premier and diplomat against their convictions in the case.

The duo were not expected to be released from prison due to Imran’s sentence in the Iddat case while Qureshi was arrested in recent May 9 cases. The Iddat case was transferred to another judge today while Qureshi is on physical remand till June 5 (Wednesday).

A special court, established under the Official Secrets Act, had handed both Imran and Qureshi 10-year jail sentences each in the case in January after Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain appo­inted a state counsel for them.

May 9 violence

Violent clashes were broken out across Pakistan after former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested on May 9, 2023.

The protests were held in remote and major cities as the party workers were agitated due to their chairman’s arrest, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order.

Army installations, including Corps Commander’s house in Lahore, had come under attack during the protests by PTI workers.

It is pertinent to mention that the PTI founder is named as main accused in all the May 9 riots cases.