LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday ordered the confiscation of properties owned by PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed a day after they were convicted in two May 9 cases.
ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill on Monday sentenced the four PTI leaders to 10 years in prison in the cases pertaining to the Shadman police station attack and burning of police vehicles near Jinnah House. The court, however, acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cases.
Today’s hearing was also taken up by Gill, who ordered the confiscation of the convicted PTI leaders’ properties.
The judge issued jail warrants for the leaders and handed them to the jail superintendent.
In its verdict yesterday, the ATC had also fined Dr Yasmin, Chaudhry, Cheema and Rasheed Rs600,000. PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sanam Javed were sentenced to five years in prison in the Shadman case.
In a separate development today, Judge Gill ordered the release of Qureshi in the two cases.
“If Shah Mehmood Qureshi is not wanted in any other case, then he should be released,” Judge Gill said.
Despite the fresh acquittal, Qureshi will still not be released from jail as he has other cases pertaining to the May 9 riots pending before the courts.
On Saturday, the ATC had reserved its verdict in the two cases after completing proceedings at Kot Lakhpat jail. The judge concluded the hearings inside the jail in two sessions during the whole day.
Last month, the Lahore ATC had acquitted Qureshi while sentencing Dr Yasmin, Chaudhry, Cheema, Rashid and others to 10 years in prison over a May 9 riots case related to violence on Sherpao Bridge.
