Lahore, August 12, 2025: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday issued a warrant for the release of PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi following his acquittal in two cases linked to the May 9 riots.
ATC Judge Manzer Ali Gill sent two separate release orders to the superintendent of Central Jail Kot Lakhpat, authorising Qureshi’s immediate release in FIRs 768/23 and 103/23—unless he is required in any other case. Qureshi was cleared of charges on August 11.
In a parallel order, Judge Gill issued a ‘warrant of commitment’ directing the jail to receive former Punjab governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Ijaz Ch, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, and others to serve their sentences.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of properties belonging to these convicts under Section 7(2) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. Similar rulings by ATCs in Faisalabad and Sargodha have led to the confiscation of assets from over 120 PTI leaders and workers in total.
The cases stem from the May 9, 2023 protests following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan, when party supporters vandalised military installations and other state property, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence.
