Faisalabad ATC sentences Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul among other PTI leaders in Rana Sanaullah house attack case

Faisalabad (Web Desk): An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Monday sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul among others up to 10 years in jail over their involvement in attack on residence of senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah during the riots on May 9 2023.

The verdict was delivered in the absence of the convicted individuals.

Out of a total of 109 accused in the case, the court announced punishments for 75 individuals. Among them, 59 were given 10-year sentences, while 16 received lighter sentences of three years each. The remaining 34 were acquitted due to lack of sufficient evidence.

Former opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate—Omer Ayub and Shibli Faraz—along with former federal minister Zartaj Gul, were each handed 10-year prison sentences as part of the same case.

Meanwhile, the court also acquitted some high-profile figures, including former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry and Zain Qureshi, the son of former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

The case stems from an attack and acts of vandalism at the Faisalabad residence of Rana Sanaullah during the nationwide unrest that erupted on May 9 following the arrest of PTI founder and former premier Imran Khan.

This particular case was registered at the Samanabad Police Station in Faisalabad and is the fourth in a series of related cases that have reached their verdicts.

It is pertinent to mention that during May 9 violence, the demonstrators had also attacked military and government sites, including the Corps Commander’s residence in Lahore—known as Jinnah House—and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

Several monuments and state properties were also damaged during the chaos, prompting a sweeping crackdown by authorities.