Shah Mehmood Qureshi and seven others acquited due to insufficient evidences
Lahore – An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday announced a split verdict in the high-profile Sherpao Bridge arson case linked to the May 9 riots, acquitting senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi and seven others, while sentencing 12 party leaders to 10 years in prison.
The verdict was delivered at Kot Lakhpat Jail amid strict security. The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to link Qureshi, Hamza Azeem, and others to the violence that erupted following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan on May 9, 2023.
However, the court found 12 other PTI leaders guilty, including Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, and others. Each was handed a 10-year sentence for their involvement in the attack near Sherpao Bridge.
The ruling came a day after the jail trial concluded. Final statements from all accused had been recorded, and the Sarwar Road police had already submitted the challan to the court. The case marks one of the most significant legal outcomes stemming from the May 9 incidents.
