Lahore (Web Desk): The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Thursday indicted senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid, in connection with the Shadman police station arson and rioting case.
The indictment was announced during a hearing overseen by ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul at Kot Lakhpat Jail.
The court has adjourned the case until December 19, when witnesses will be called to testify. The court also postponed proceedings in other related cases, such as the attack on the Military Tower, until December 23.
The charges against the PTI leaders stem from the violent events of May 9, when party activists allegedly, under the leadership's direction, attacked and set fire to the Shadman police station amid widespread unrest.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report on the May 9 incidents, presented in the ATC, has implicated several PTI leaders, accusing them of inciting the violence.
The report suggests that the PTI leadership played a central role in instigating the public, which led to the chaos and destruction that day.
Meanwhile, PTI’s incarcerated founder, Imran Khan, has announced plans for the party to observe December 15 as "Martyrs Day" to commemorate the sacrifices of PTI workers who lost their lives during the protests on May 9 and November 26.
Imran Khan, speaking through his sister Aleema Khan, has also called for an independent judicial inquiry into the events of both days, claiming that PTI workers were killed by law enforcement agencies.
Initially, Imran Khan had only sought an investigation into the May 9 events, but he has since expanded this to include the November 26 protests.
In a meeting with his sister, Imran Khan proposed the creation of a joint investigation commission made up of three of the most senior judges of the Supreme Court to ensure a fair and impartial inquiry into the deaths of PTI workers during the demonstrations.
The ongoing legal proceedings and the demand for investigations into the events surrounding May 9 and November 26 have added further political complexity to Pakistan’s already charged political environment.
The outcome of the trial and the proposed inquiry will likely have a significant impact on PTI’s future and the broader political narrative in the country.