ATC grants bail to PTI leaders in May 9 riots

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Wednesday granted bail in May 9 riots cases.

According to specifics, PTI officials Raja Basharat, Zartaj Gul, Zain Qureshi, Shibli Faraz, and others came before the ATC to request bail about allegations brought against them during the rallies on May 9.

The request for a one-day exemption from the court appearance made by KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur was granted. The ATC declared that the next hearing will take place in the Adiala Jail on May 29 while granting bail to PTI leaders Shibli Faraz, Basharat, Zartaj Gul, Zain Qureshi, and others till that date.

Read More: May 9 was staged to target Imran Khan: Omar Ayub

After former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case on the grounds of the Islamabad High Court on May 9, violent protests started.

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) rendered a verdict in March against the 51 defendants in the May 9 riot trials.

After hearing the case, Judge Natasha Naseem Supra of the ATC Court listed the accusations made against each of the defendants, who were found to be employees of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The judge imposed a five-year prison sentence under separate sections on each of the 51 offenders.

Separately, on April 8, an Anti-Terrorism Court called Umar Sarfaraz Cheema, Dr. Yasmeen Rashid, and other accused parties to present accusations in three instances that will be heard on May 9.