ATC in Gujranwala sentences 51 accused in 9 May Riots to five-year in prison

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Gujranwala sentenced five years of imprisonment each to 51 accused in the case registered in May 2023 pertaining to an attack on Gujranwala Cantt. 

More than 100 civilians are under trial for their alleged role in attacks on army installations during the riots that followed Imran’s arrest on May 9, 2023.

The trial was conducted in a case registered by the Rahwali Cantt police against suspects involved in an attack on the cantonment in Gujranwala in which dozens of people were injured and one person was killed.

On Saturday, the ATC judge Natasha Naseem Supra conducted the hearing of a case related to vandalism and arson at Gujranwala Cantt in which 23 PTI leaders, including the party founder Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, as well as over 400 suspects who had been nominated.

In a short verdict, the court gave a five-year jail term each to the accused political workers who were arrested from the vandalism site while some of them were arrested after geo-fencing, as per the police charge sheet.

A detailed verdict will be announced later.

As per a warrant of commitment on the sentence of the convicts, the rioters were charged according to the following terms:

• Rigorous imprisonment for five years and a Rs10,000 fine, with simple imprisonment of a further 10 days in case of default under Section 6(2i) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

• Rigorous imprisonment for five years and a Rs10,000 fine, with simple imprisonment of a further 10 days in case of default under Section 6(2m) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

• Rigorous imprisonment for five years and an Rs10,000 fine, with simple imprisonment of a further 10 days in case of default under Section 6(2n) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997:

• Rigorous imprisonment for one year under Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) Section 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon).

• Rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 186 (obstructing public servants in discharge of public functions).

• Rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).

• Rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).

• Rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 427 (mischief causing damage amounting to Rs50).

• Rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel).