May 9 Riots: Yasmin, Omar, Mahmood, Aijaz Sentenced to 20 Years in two arson cases

LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Saturday sentenced Dr. Yasmin Rashid and former Punjab Governor Omar Sarfaraz Cheema to 20 years of imprisonment each in two separate May 9 arson cases, ARY News reported.

ATC Judge Arshad Javed pronounced the verdict during a hearing held at Kot Lakhpat Jail. The cases pertained to the torching of police vehicles in Gulberg and a container at Kalma Chowk.

The court also handed 10-year sentences to Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed and Ejaz Chaudhry.

In total, 29 accused individuals, including the senior PTI leaders, were convicted in the police vehicle arson case. Meanwhile, Mian Aslam Iqbal and four others were declared proclaimed offenders.

In the second case, involving the torching of a container at Kalma Chowk, the court sentenced the four PTI leaders which included Dr Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfaraz Cheema, Mian Mahmood Ur Rasheed and Aijaz Chaudhry along with 16 activists to 10 years in prison .

Five other accused individuals were acquitted, while Mian Aslam Iqbal and 12 others were declared proclaimed offenders.

A total of 24 individuals were tried in this specific case.

Notably, the challan (charge sheet) for PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was not presented in either of the two cases decided today.

Earlier, a special court on Saturday sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-2 case.

Special Judge Central Islamabad Shahrukh Arjumand announced the verdict in Adiala Jail, convicting the former prime minister and his wife under multiple charges.

The court awarded Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi 10-year imprisonment under Section 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 7-year under Sections 5, 2, and 47, bringing the cumulative sentence to 17-year each.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs16.45 million each on Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. The sentences will run concurrently, according to the court order.

The Toshakhana-2 case involved allegations that Imran Khan unlawfully retained a high-value Bulgari jewellery set received as a diplomatic gift during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.

Investigators allege that the gift was deliberately undervalued, resulting in a loss of Rs32.85 million to the national exchequer.

The jewellery set was actually valued at an estimated Rs75.66 million, according to official records.

Following the Supreme Court’s verdict on NAB amendments, the accountability court had transferred the Toshakhana-II reference against Imran Khan and his wife from NAB to the FIA.

The FIA formed a three-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the Toshakhana-II case.

The record of Toshakhana-II reference was shifted to the Special Judge Central.

On July 13, NAB had re-arrested Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in Toshakhana-2 reference shortly after they were granted bail in the “Iddat Nikah” case.

A total of 20 witnesses’ statements were recorded in the case.