PTI leaders, workers get relief as KP govt drops May 9 cases

PESHAWAR: All cases against the leaders and activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in relation to the May 9 riots have been withdrawn by the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The rioters, during the violence, attacked the civil and military facilities, including Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

The turmoil has created legal and political troubles for the previous ruling party, whose top brass, including founder Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Yasmin Rashid, and others, are still in jail on charges of their alleged involvement in different incidents.

An official notification released by the provincial Home Department states that the move was taken following the cabinet approval of KP.

The notice also read that Additional Advocate General Muhammad Inam Khan Yousafzai has been designated as the special prosecutor to represent the government in a matter before the courts.

With the KP government’s action, PTI now views a huge legal relief for dozens of its workers and leaders in the province. But it all depends on the courts now, which will hear the government’s application at the next hearing on October 15.

KP AG Utmankhel, in a video message, stated that all politically motivated cases of terrorism registered on May 9 were non-verified and registered without investigation and with non-existence of evidence, and were a case of political victimisation by the caretaker government.

He further stated that the chief minister instructed their withdrawal after cabinet approval.

The advocate general stated that 29 cases about the violence on May 9 had been registered in various districts of KP, all under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

“Most of these cases have already been rejected by courts on the grounds of lack of evidence, whereas the rest will fall through as no witnesses or material evidence are available,” he said.