Lahore, December 26, 2025: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has issued its detailed verdict in two cases related to the May 9 violence in the Gulberg area, which involved incidents of arson, vandalism and the burning of vehicles.
The court acquitted 23 accused due to a lack of sufficient evidence. However, seven individuals, including senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), were convicted and awarded prison sentences.
Senior PTI leader Mian Mehmood-ur-Rashid was sentenced to a cumulative 33 years in prison and fined Rs600,000. The court noted that separate charges were framed under different sections of the law, resulting in multiple sentences against him.
Dr Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfraz Cheema and Ijaz Chaudhry were each sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. According to the verdict, all three were present at conspiracy meetings held prior to the outbreak of violence. The prosecution maintained that they played an active role in inciting public disorder and encouraging acts of arson.
The court highlighted the strength of the prosecution’s case, which relied heavily on digital and forensic evidence. This included WhatsApp conversations, data obtained from 70 social media accounts, and multiple forensic reports submitted during the trial.
The verdict noted that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had declared the accused guilty and that its findings were not challenged by the defence in any forum. While the accused pleaded innocence in their final statements, the court ruled that the available evidence was sufficient to establish their guilt.
The ruling underscores the court’s reliance on digital evidence and investigative findings in cases of public unrest and emphasises that political affiliation or status does not exempt individuals from accountability in incidents involving violence and destruction of property.
