The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday strongly condemned the Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court’s (ATC) recent verdict sentencing several senior party leaders to 10 years in prison, calling it “yet another chapter in the judiciary’s series of controversial rulings.”
The ATC verdict, announced on Tuesday, convicted prominent PTI figures — including Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry — in connection with the violent protests and acts of arson that erupted across the country on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of PTI’s founding chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, however, was acquitted in the same case.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan criticized the ruling, stating it had further damaged public confidence in the judiciary. “From the very beginning, we demanded a fair trial and the opportunity to defend ourselves. These convictions were handed down without fulfilling the basic requirements of due process,” he said, as quoted by ARY News.
PTI’s legal strategist and senior leader Babar Awan announced that the party would file appeals in the Supreme Court against all convictions. “These verdicts are not grounded in justice but are politically motivated. The individuals sentenced are prisoners of conscience — punished for speaking against injustice,” Awan said. He emphasized that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and questioned the fairness of labeling former public officials as terrorists. “Is it fair to brand a former governor and a former foreign minister as terrorists?” he asked.
Salman Akram Raja, another senior PTI leader, described the situation as “a mockery of justice” and “an assault on democracy.” He urged the nation to decide whether the country would continue under what he called an oppressive system or strive for one rooted in justice and the rule of law.
The PTI maintains that the May 9 protests were a spontaneous public reaction and not an organized campaign of violence. The party has consistently alleged that its members are being targeted as part of a broader crackdown aimed at suppressing dissent.
With appeals planned at the highest level, PTI has vowed to continue its legal and political struggle, asserting that the recent convictions will not deter its commitment to democratic principles and constitutional rights.
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