Rawalpindi, May 2, 2025: In a significant legal development, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday convicted 82 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in connection with protest demonstrations held on November 24 and 26 last year. The ruling marks one of the most wide-ranging verdicts issued recently against political protestors.
Presided over by Judge Amjad Ali Shah, the ATC announced sentences for those who pleaded guilty during trial proceedings. According to the judgment, the convicted individuals will be deemed to have served their sentence based on time already spent in custody—ranging from one to three months. No monetary fines were imposed.
The court heard 24 First Information Reports (FIRs) in a consolidated proceeding and issued its ruling for all accused who admitted guilt. This decision brings partial closure to a prolonged legal process that saw dozens of lower-tier PTI workers entangled in litigation stemming from the political unrest last year.
However, the court clarified that those who did not plead guilty will continue to face trial. Witnesses have been summoned for subsequent hearings, scheduled for May 7, 8, and 9, covering the remaining cases.
The protests on November 24 and 26, which drew large crowds in Rawalpindi and Attock, resulted in at least 15 FIRs—nine registered in Rawalpindi and six in Attock. The government alleges that the demonstrations involved acts of violence and disruptions to public order. PTI, however, maintains that the prosecutions are politically motivated and aimed at suppressing dissent.
