ATC Sentences Dr Yasmin Rashid, Acquits Shah Mehmood Qureshi in May 9 Sherpao Bridge Case
Lahore – July 23, 2025: In a landmark decision, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday sentenced several senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders to 10 years in prison for their alleged roles in the May 9, 2023, Sherpao Bridge arson and incitement case. Those convicted include Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ijaz Chaudhry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, and lawyer-politician Afzal Azeem Pahat.
The verdict was delivered by ATC Judge Arshad Javed inside Kot Lakhpat Jail amid tight security measures. The case, registered under FIR No. 97/23 at Sarwar Road Police Station, involved serious charges including terrorism, incitement to violence, and destruction of public property during widespread protests following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Significantly, the court acquitted former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and five others — including Hamza Pahat, Rana Tanveer, Azaz Rafique, Ziyas, and Muhammad Iftikhar — citing lack of sufficient evidence.
The prosecution, led by Special Prosecutor Abdul Jabbar Dogar, presented 61 witnesses to argue that the convicted PTI leaders orchestrated violence and incited arson at Sherpao Bridge. The defence, however, led by Burhan Moazzam Malik, termed the trial politically motivated and lacking in direct evidence.
In addition to the prominent names, co-accused Ali Hasan, Riaz Hasan, and Khalid Qayuum were also sentenced to 10 years each, as the court found them complicit in the acts of violence.
Security was heightened around Kot Lakhpat Jail during the announcement, and all previously bailed suspects had been remanded to custody in anticipation of the judgment, with authorities fearing unrest.
The decision marks a critical chapter in the legal fallout from the May 9 protests — one of the most turbulent events in Pakistan’s recent political history — and sets a precedent for accountability in cases of politically linked violence.
