An anti-terror court in Gujranwala on Saturday sentenced 51 activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to five years in prison for participating in riots on May 9, 2023.
The verdict was read out in the Gujranwala Central Jail, where the 51 suspects were being held and tried.
The judge found the suspects guilty on various charges, including rioting, arson, assault, destroying public property, and attacking sensitive state installations during the PTI protests in the city.
At least one civilian was killed while at least ten police officers were injured, including an SP, and four vehicles were also damaged during rioting in Gujranwala that day.
Cases of the attacks were registered at the Cantonment police station. It had named a PTI ticket holder among 23 people and accused some 300-400 unidentified people. However, the police ended up apprehending and charging at least 51 people on various charges.
On Saturday, they were sentenced to varying lengths under eight main charges, including for five years under Section 6(2)(i) of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 (ATA 1997): creates a serious risk to the safety of the public or a section of the public, or is designed to frighten the general public and thereby prevent them from coming out and carrying on their lawful trade and daily business, and disrupts civic life.
For five years under Section 6(2)(m) ATA 1997: involves serious coercion or intimidation of a public servant in order to force him to discharge or to refrain from discharging his lawful duties;
For five years under Section 6(2)(n) ATA 1997: involves serious violence against a member of the police force, armed forces, civil armed forces, or a public servant;
They were sentenced to a year of rigorous imprisonment each for charges included Section 148 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC): Rioting, armed with deadly weapon: Whoever is guilty of rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
A year of rigorous imprisonment under Section 427 of PPC: Mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs50: Whoever commits mischief and thereby causes loss or damage to the amount of Rs50 or upwards shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
A year of rigorous imprisonment under Section 186 of PPC: Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions: Whoever voluntarily obstructs any public servant in the discharge of his public functions shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months or with a fine which may extend to [Rs1,500], or with both.
A year of rigorous imprisonment under Section 353 of PPC: Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty: Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any person being a public servant in the execution of his duty as such public servant, or with intent to prevent or deter that person from discharging his duty as such public servant, or in consequence of anything done or attempted to be done by such person in the lawful discharge of his duty as such public servant, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine or with both.
A year of rigorous imprisonment under Section 431 of PPC: Mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel: Whoever commits mischief by doing any act which renders or which he knows to be likely to render any public road, bridge, navigable river or navigable channel, natural or artificial, impassable or less safe for travelling or conveying property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both.
All sentences will run concurrently.
The court had directed to seize of the property of PTI's central leaders, including former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Murad Saeed, and Ali Amin Gandapur, among others.
Several PTI leaders obtained bail from the court in the case.
The youngest convict in the case was 20-year-old Jahangir Roohullah from Kotali Rustam, Gujranwala. The oldest convict was 66-year-old Azmat Ullah of Mohallah Kashmiriyan in Gujranwala.
Earlier in the week, the Supreme Court granted conditional permission to the military courts — who are trying 105 suspects for participating in rioting on May 9, 2023 — to issue verdicts for those who could be released before Eidul Fitr.