PTI leaders handed 10-year jail term over May 9 attack on Rana Sanaullah’s residence

An Anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday sentenced 59 people, including top Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders such as Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, and Kanwal Shauzab, to 10 years in prison in connection with the attack on Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) senior leader Rana Sanaullah’s house during the May 9 riots in 2023.

In the same case, 16 accused were handed three-year prison sentences, while 34 others, including Fawad Chaudhry and Zain Qureshi, were acquitted. All verdicts were delivered in the absence of the accused.

Other individuals sentenced to 10 years included Ismail Sila, Ansar Iqbal, Bilal Ijaz, Ashraf Sohna, Mehr Javed, and Shakeel Niazi.

Read more: Supreme Court grants Imran Khan bail in eight May 9 riots cases

The case relates to the attack, vandalism, and siege of Rana Sanaullah’s residence in Samanabad. Initially, four cases were registered in Faisalabad in connection with arson, vandalism, and rioting during May 9, with verdicts in three cases already announced. 

This fourth case named 109 people, including PTI’s central leadership.

Several PTI leaders, party workers, and the party’s founder remain incarcerated in Adiala Jail in connection with the May 9 riots cases.