LHC dismisses PTI leaders' pleas seeking suspension of sentences in May 9 cases

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench on Tuesday dismissed the applications of PTI leaders Ejaz Chaudhry and Mian Mahmoodur Rashid seeking suspension of their sentences as an interim relief in multiple cases related to the May 9 riots. Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa heard the pleas of the incarcerated PTI leaders. The PTI leaders had filed appeals challenging their conviction in the May 9 cases alongside applications seeking the suspension of the sentence as an interim relief. However, the bench dismissed the pleas for interim relief and adjourned the hearing on the main appeals. Separately, the bench also allowed a similar application filed by PTI leader Afzal Azeem Pahat and suspended his sentence. Senior PTI leaders, including Chaudhry, Rashid, Dr Yasmin Rashid and Omer Sarfraz Cheema, have been handed down sentences by the anti-terrorism courts in five cases pertaining to violent protests in the country on May 9, 2023, including an attack on the Shadman police station, violence at Sherpao Bridge, the burning of police vehicles and the torching a Supreme Court judge’s squad vehicle near Jinnah House. The convictions involve charges including abetment of violence and criminal conspiracy, with each accused awarded an average sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment in the respective cases. It should also be mentioned that Chaudhry, who is a former senator, has been suffering from heart and kidney disease. Over the weekend, the Punjab government had allowed his medical check-up at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, which revealed that the condition of his kidneys had further deteriorated.